'87 2.8L Oil spray; cracked adapter?

[tylernt]

I have a '87 S-10 Blazer 4X4 with the 2.8L V6. The thing sprays oil all over the drivers side of the engine compartment. It seems to spray up from below, and only leaks with the engine running.

Today I took the oil filter off, and I see what appear to be cracks in the oil filter adapter. At least, I assume it is a steel oil filter adapter that attached to the cast iron engine block? I do not have an oil cooler that I can see.

Do you think these cracks may be causing my oil leak? Is it possible to put a new oil filter adapter on there? If so, how?

Here are some pics...

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Thanks for any advice! (You guys were great last year when you helped me with my transfer case vacuum switch, by the way. When I finally got it off, the plunger was jammed just as someone said it would.)

[MT-2500]

Good pictures.
But we can not really see or tell if it is cracked or a crack there.
Run the engine and get a mirror down in or up in there and have a look around.
Take it off and inspect the outside area for cracks.
Where it is leaking it should be clean and bright.
If it has a oil sending unit close to that area look it over real close to.
Also the oil filter itself could have a pin hole.
Let us know how it goes.

[tylernt]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

But we can not really see or tell if it is cracked or a crack there.

I can feel them with my fingernail... pretty sure they're cracks, though I have been wrong before.

Run the engine and get a mirror down in or up in there and have a look around.

See, that's the weird thing. I never see it spray (even with a mirror and flashlight) when the engine is running and the car is sitting still. But take it for a spin around the block and wow, oil everywhere.

Good idea on the oil pressure sender though, I was actually planning on just replacing its gasket or O-ring when I saw the cracks and stopped there.

[MT-2500]

What is outlined in the picture looks more like mold/casting marks.
I would try another oil filter to.
If you can not see the leak they make some oil leak dye that you can add to the oil and then put the leak dye light on it and pinpoint leak.
Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[tylernt]

Took me a while but it appears that is was the oil pressure sender. It was actually a little loose, snugged it up and no more leaks so far... keeping fingers crossed!

[MT-2500]

Thanks for posting back and letting us know how it went.
Glad you found it and got it fixed.
MT