Help...massive oil leak!
Autumnschild
08-04-2004, 05:51 PM
My 95 Olds 88 had a minor oil leak when I bought it last summer. The leak has progressed and now I am going through about 2-3 quarts per week. I've had it looked at while getting my oil changed, but they say there is so much oil on the underside the car, they can't possibly tell where it's coming from. What are the chances that it is one of the seals? And is it unsafe to drive like this? I need my car and am short on cash to get it fixed right now.
jehiatt
08-19-2004, 11:48 PM
My 95 Olds 88 had a minor oil leak when I bought it last summer. The leak has progressed and now I am going through about 2-3 quarts per week. I've had it looked at while getting my oil changed, but they say there is so much oil on the underside the car, they can't possibly tell where it's coming from. What are the chances that it is one of the seals? And is it unsafe to drive like this? I need my car and am short on cash to get it fixed right now.
Unsafe if oil not kept full.The oil pressure sending unit is a likely culprit. It is on the passenger side of the engine rear middle area. It is a vertical tube looking thing about 1 inch round and three inches tall with a two wire black plastic connector on top. It is screwed into a cast metal part on the engine just above the oil pan. If clean enough you can see oil leaking out of it by looking down in the engine compartment at the sender. (with flashlight)The second suspect is the oil pan gasket. Oil will drip from the oil pan bolts. The third suspect would be valve cover gaskets - especially if you ever overheated the engine for very long.
You should clean up your engine at a car wash first. Jack up the front of your car. Let it cool about 15 minutes then pressure wash the engine, oil pan area, frame, and trans. Spend some time on doing a good job.
Use a TIDE soaked rag or brush if you cant get the washer into an area.
The clean engine will help you spot the leak area or areas.
Now go home and drive up on some newspapers or large cardboard pieces. Your oil leak should soon show up on the papers and show you where to look "UP" for an oil leak.
Jack it up and look for oil leak paths with a good flashlight. luck!
Unsafe if oil not kept full.The oil pressure sending unit is a likely culprit. It is on the passenger side of the engine rear middle area. It is a vertical tube looking thing about 1 inch round and three inches tall with a two wire black plastic connector on top. It is screwed into a cast metal part on the engine just above the oil pan. If clean enough you can see oil leaking out of it by looking down in the engine compartment at the sender. (with flashlight)The second suspect is the oil pan gasket. Oil will drip from the oil pan bolts. The third suspect would be valve cover gaskets - especially if you ever overheated the engine for very long.
You should clean up your engine at a car wash first. Jack up the front of your car. Let it cool about 15 minutes then pressure wash the engine, oil pan area, frame, and trans. Spend some time on doing a good job.
Use a TIDE soaked rag or brush if you cant get the washer into an area.
The clean engine will help you spot the leak area or areas.
Now go home and drive up on some newspapers or large cardboard pieces. Your oil leak should soon show up on the papers and show you where to look "UP" for an oil leak.
Jack it up and look for oil leak paths with a good flashlight. luck!
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