91 Oil leak on backside of 3.1 Euro

[weidnerr]

I have a steady drip at idle and more as I rev it........I'm guessing Valve cover gasket.....Is there anything else it could be? Seems to be in the drivers side end of valve cover area.......From underneath I can see the drip but not the exact location...Can see Nothing from the topside....If I rotate the motor forward can I start it to find the leak??????

[jeffcoslacker]

If it actually drips steadily at idle, I doubt if it's a valve cover. It has to be something that is actually oil pressurized, probably the oil sender switch for the gauge/light.

[newfslumina]

First place i would look is under the throttle body...there is a plug there where the distributor shaft used to be until they changed . Now there is some type of plug there and the O ring is famous for leaking. Will have to remove throttle body or intake manifold to get at it. hope this is of help to u

[weidnerr]

Its not the Oil sender because I can see that.......Any idea what the labor is to change Intake gasket and Valve cover gaskets????

[richtazz]

follow newfslumina's advice, that is your problem. Take the throttle body off and you'll see a silver dollar sized metal piece (it's the oil pump drive shaft) retained by a bolt and clamp. you may have to wiggle it to get it free, just lift straight up with a pair of pliers. There is an o-ring that seals it and they harden and leak on all 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4. Go to your local auto parts store and get fel-pro part # 70800 ( that's the o-ring) and a 70194 (it's a flat round gasket) this will cure your oil leak.

[weidnerr]

Thanks to newfslumina and richtazz for being right on target. Extra thanks to rich for the part numbers too. O-ring was hard as a rock and never did find any gasket.....its got one now though

[jeffcoslacker]

That's from using that nasty Pennzoil dino.

[tblake]

You guy's dont like pennzoil? What should i use, I have been using valvoline 5w30, if that means anything.

[jeffcoslacker]

Use the Valvoline DuraBlend if you can't hack the price of full synthetic. Good stuff, flows easy, and extends oil change interval. I go to 10W30 on GM's as soon as the warrantee is up. (although both are acceptable under warantee requirements.)

[richtazz]

Valvoline is the cleanest non-synthetic oil there is. I use it exclusively, and had many cars go over 250k with no oil related problems in any of them. As for the paper gasket on the oil pump drive, it is just added insurance against future leaks. They didn't come factory with them.

[corsica33]

I just wanted to thank newfslumina and richtazz for their help. Although they didn't know it, they saved me much $$. I had the same problem as weidnerr with my '91 Corsica 3.1. Local shops estimated the fix from $145 to over $600! (Said it was the plenum/intake gasket). After reading your knowledgable input, I dug into it myself, spent $1.15, a couple hours and it was fixed. How excellent is THAT!! Thanks again!