Help with oil leak please

mrlouis · 03-03-2008, 06:43 PM

I have a 2002 Z24 with 56000 miles on it. I have oil leaking in 2 places underneath the passenger's side, about 4 inches apart. A mechanic said he thought it was just a problem with a bolt and replaced it. I was told it might take several days for the leak to totally go away. Is this right? Anyway, it's been 4 days and the leaks are still there. I've been putting a piece of cardboard on the ground. The mechanic said if the bolt didn't fix it, it was going to be very expensive. He didn't say how much....the look on his face said it all. So, since it's still leaking I don't think it was the bolt. Given the location, can anyone take a guess at where the oil might be coming from? And, any idea at all as to how much this is going to cost me. Is it worth fixing or should I sell the car? Thank you for your help.

Louis

rhandwor · 03-03-2008, 09:11 PM

Where is the leak? Is it just in front of the oil pan or just in back of the pan. Is it on top of the engine around the head. It helps if you tell where the leak is located.

mrlouis · 03-03-2008, 10:11 PM

It's in the back of the oil pan.

Classicrocjunkie · 03-04-2008, 01:49 AM

try and get a picture of it for us.

rhandwor · 03-04-2008, 04:47 PM

It appears you go to a mechanic. Have him put the car on a lift. Take a good flashlight with you. Look from the top of the head down to the leak have him use rags and wipe it off if you can see the oil coming out. Then get a price to repair the leak.
A friend sold a car and the man came back and was concerned about a minor leak. He went to Auto Zone and got a couple bottles of stop leak. I think he got radiator stop leak. Two minutes after pouring it in the strainer on the oil pump plugged up. This then became a problem for the buyer and seller.

mrlouis · 03-04-2008, 09:04 PM

Okay..I took my car to the shop today. I was told I have a timing cover gasket leak, an oil pan gasket leak, and a camshaft gasket leak. Parts are going to cost $400.00 and labor will cost $2,100.00. All of this is before taxes. Is it normal for so many gaskets to start leaking all at once? Also, the cost is WOW!! Do you think I can get it done cheaper? And last, should I sell the car or trade it in? Is it worth fixing?

rhandwor · 03-04-2008, 09:14 PM

I would check with another independent shop. Parts and labor seem high to me very high. How much oil are you leaking. At this price a quart of oil a week would be cheaper.

muff34 · 03-05-2008, 04:33 AM

ya find another shop and quick!!!!

Headnsouth · 03-05-2008, 09:41 AM

I'd start by torquing the bolts and see how loose they are. That maybe all it takes. If they are loose use a little soft set loktite on the bolts. Remove one apply loktite and torgue them all in the sequence they require.

With the camshaft leak I'd use some auto-rx in the engine. It'll not only clean up your engine it'll clean the gunk that maybe hanging up the seal.

www.auto-rx.com

Classicrocjunkie · 03-05-2008, 12:54 PM

2,100 my ass for labor.....If he was proficient, it should only take a good wrench monkey 2-3hrs max for the timing chain cover gasket( have to remove upper motor mount and support engine from below) Oil pan is a matter of dropping all the bolts cleaning the mating surface. GM uses now a gray epoxy type crap that takes 24-42 hrs to fully cure and no oil can touch it for this time. Stuff runs around 25 bucks a tube. Do not use a gasket. The cam shaft is replace by removing the IDI cover and the cam shaft valve cover.

Go somewhere else or hell get a repair manual yourself and do it on your own.

S_chevy · 03-05-2008, 04:29 PM

$400 for 3 gaskets? I would go somewhere else. or just deal with the oil leak, qt of oil a week would be cheaper for the life of the car then paying someone that much money.

mrlouis · 03-05-2008, 06:52 PM

Okay, I took my car to another shop today. The only leak they saw was from the timing cover gasket....not 3 leaks like I was told at the other place. Total for repair was $336.00. Man, the other place is nothing but a $%#@.

Louis

S_chevy · 03-06-2008, 02:03 PM

well that seems a lot better, still more then I would like to pay but you have to figure $80 to $100 an hour for labor, so this seem fair. I am not sure if it is worth it but I would check to see how much more it would be to have them change the water pump at the same time, it might be worth it if it is not to much more.

rhandwor · 03-06-2008, 03:34 PM

You learned a good lesson on where not to take your car.

mrlouis · 03-06-2008, 09:42 PM

You got that right....Serra Chevrolet in Jackson, TN......stay away from them!! There is a huge difference in $336.00 and almost $3,000.00. How crazy is that!!

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