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3.9l Engine Oil Leak


teegolf
12-18-2017, 10:05 PM
Looking for ideas to solve my leak. Had a messy leaking oil pan gasket. Changed it out and dried up the bulk of the leak. After new pan gasket install
and a test run the next day I had oil running down the oil pan in the rear main area. Figured I had messed up the gasket putting it in so pulled pan down again a month later. Gasket looked good as far as I could tell when I took it down. Installed a second new gasket. Let set while permatex setup. Filled with oil the next and took a test drive all was good. Let sit for couple hours and topped off oil. Still good. Next morning have oil puddle in same place as after 1st gasket install. Up on the jack tonight and oil running down the pan in the same area. No detectable leaks from above that I can see with the dye in the oil. I can lay under car after shutting off and watch oil slowly run down the pan and drip. Not sure where to turn next. Did not think it was a rear main seal as the flywheel housing is dry and I have no oil being flung around. Tired of working on this and getting frustrated. Looking for any ideas what I could be missing or if someone else has had same issue. 2008 3.9l engine 196,000 miles.

Stealthee
12-19-2017, 05:18 AM
Was there even actually a gasket on there originally? Many engines now just use RTV to seal the pan to the engine. I once put a gasket on an engine that originally just used RTV and it leaked WORSE with the gasket. After talking to others who experienced the same I pulled the pan again, removed the gasket and just RTVed the pan to the engine and it didn't leak from the pan any more.

teegolf
12-19-2017, 08:02 PM
Yes there was a gasket there originally that I removed before installing the new gasket. The gasket sits in a channel in the pan and then has a raised surface which seals against the main bearing cap.

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