Sudden Catastrophic Oil Leak! -- FIXED (bad lower intake manifold seal)

[lobo411]

Changed the oil today. I was expecting to get a thick syrup like I got after I added the crap from Lucas Oil (I drained that out and replaced it with regular oil w/ Rislone Rear Main restorer + Rislone compression restorer), but the oil looked perfectly normal. Viscosity was fine, and there was a slight reddish tinge most likely attributable to the reddish tinge to the compression restorer.

Hasn't been leaking at all, and if it stays that way, then I'll have to say that one of those two Rislone products worked! If the leak comes back, then I'll add one of them to see which one worked. I'm not worried about it anymore now that I've discovered that it doesn't hurt the oil. That Lucas oil crap basically turned my oil into jelly!

 

[lobo411]

Just updating this. No more massive oil leaks (it still drips a few drops out the rear main every day, but that's expected I guess), and oil consumption is better than normal given the mileage (164k now).

When I was driving it 400 miles a week, it was burning 1 qt every 1000 miles.

Now it burns about a cup every 1000 miles.

Not really sure why--could be the new intake manifold gaskets (upper and lower) sealing better? I also changed the PCV breather tube/hose, which stopped the oily accumulations that used to build up on all brake booster and PCV vacuum hoses. Maybe it's sealing (and thus breathing) better? Maybe one of those rear main/gasket repair products I installed 3 oil changes ago worked?

No idea!

 

[lobo411]

I removed the lower intake manifold just now. The problem was the RTV seal between the lower manifold and the valley. I used the RTV that came with the gasket, which was an ultra-fast curing type that (IIRC) sets in 20 mins. That's nowhere near enough time to hold the two gasket halves in place while lowering the lower intake manifold into place while getting the bolts lined up correctly. The RTV beads cured before I could get everything put together.

How the hell many arms are you supposed to have anyway? Are engineers really so farking stupid that they don't know that the average person only has two?

Or...maybe the average engineer is a geek who couldn't tell the difference between motor oil and chocolate sauce to save his life!

 

[239]

I have a bad oil leak too that started over the last few weeks and is getting worse. I had the heads replaced a couple of months ago and I’m hoping the LIM gaskets aren’t the issue. There’s oil above the bell housing so I’m wondering where it’s coming from.

I also installed a catch can before this started. So I’m wondering if the engine can’t vent pressure as much since the valve to intake hose is now longer and it’s 3/8 instead of 5/8. So it’s leaking oil.