98 EB 5L oil/trans oil leaking, what to do?

[dcdyd]

Hi, recently I found that oil is leaking to the garage floor and I took a picture from behind the truck. The part that is leaking is between the engine oil pan and the transmission oil pan.

The oil on the ground is mixed with engine oil (I think) and the pink trans fluid. The leak is not severe and couple drops every day.

I heard that some sort of leak stop could be used. If so, can anyone suggest a good brand? How much I use and I assume that I pour that into the trans oil tank, not the engine oil tank, right? If that doesn"t stop the leak, what is the option and how big is the repair job this is?

Thank you in advance!

 

[slipknotas]

From the picture it looks like you are looking at the tranny bell housing and that looks like the inspection cover. If the fluid is coming from there your tranny pump or you input shaft oil seal is leaking. I would not suggest putting any stop leak in anything that has small valves and screens like a transmission. There is no such thing as mechanic in a bottle but that is just my opinion. I would start by cleaning the underside of your truck and using a uv dye and uv light sold at your local auto parts store to see where the leak is coming from. If you are not prepared to drop the transmission than your best bet would be taking it in for service.

 

[dcdyd]

I took the truck to a trusted mechanic for a check and he told me that it is the crankshaft seal and he also told me that it is a big job for $750. We also talked about other choices and he suggests me using 10W30 high miles oil instead of 5W-30 normal oil. He also suggest me trying a product called 'AT-205 Re-Seal' which claims to softens and expands worn seals and prevents future leaks.

Any commets are preciated.

 

[bobflood]

I took the truck to a trusted mechanic for a check and he told me that it is the crankshaft seal and he also told me that it is a big job for $750. We also talked about other choices and he suggests me using 10W30 high miles oil instead of 5W-30 normal oil. He also suggest me trying a product called 'AT-205 Re-Seal' which claims to softens and expands worn seals and prevents future leaks.

Any commets are preciated.

Agreed - rear crankshaft seal is a big deal because you have to separate engine and transmission to get access to the rear of the engine. At this point, some kind of seal restorer and heavier oil is worth a try. You can buy a lot of oil for $750!

 

[n2epv]

Do you see the oil level going down much?

My '97 5.0 looks about the same, with 200K miles on it. And I only need 1 quart between oil changes in the winter and maybe 2 in the summer. I got a little concerned when I first noticed the oil situation on the bottom of my bellhousing. My level never drops much on the dipstick, so I'm happy with it as-is. The manual calls for 10W-30, so put that in it.

Also check that the PCV system is working and not plugged anywhere. Maybe it's a longshot, but of pressure was building up in the crankcase, oil would probably leak out somewhere.

 

[dcdyd]

From last oil change which was Oct 2011, I saw some oil level down and I added about 350ml of oil last weekend for the level to return the middle of the oil dip stick.

By the way, how and what to check for the PCV system in additio nto the PCV valve?

 

[JCat]

I have seen this problem cause another problem. The oil mixes with dust or dirt and gets into the starter (via inside the bellhousing). Eventually the starter fails.

 

[yavapaires]

Possible if you live ona dirt road, but not probable, IMHO. Just clean it off every so often, watch the oil level. When you start vetti goil blown up onthe tailgate, then you can worry about it.