Oil Leak - Interesting Circumstances

[Womprat78]

So, I'm one of the lucky guys on here with an oil leak on my '93. From the other posts, it sounds like it could be the rear-main, but I'm not sure.

Basically, it starts leaking when I start the engine. Leak is from passenger side, appears to be coming from above oil filter. It drips a lot (5-8 drips a second.) I can see my tracks for a good ways 200 yards, and then it slows down a lot. By the time I've driven a few minutes, it is down to 1 drip every 5 seconds. I park it, and it drips for a little while (~half hour) and then stops.

Any ideas on this? I'm coming to grips on the rear main idea (i.e. time for me to sell it for what I can...) but would love to hear otherwise.

Thanks,

Womprat78

 

[tmh6202]

So, I'm one of the lucky guys on here with an oil leak on my '93. From the other posts, it sounds like it could be the rear-main, but I'm not sure.

Basically, it starts leaking when I start the engine. Leak is from passenger side, appears to be coming from above oil filter. It drips a lot (5-8 drips a second.) I can see my tracks for a good ways 200 yards, and then it slows down a lot. By the time I've driven a few minutes, it is down to 1 drip every 5 seconds. I park it, and it drips for a little while (~half hour) and then stops.

Any ideas on this? I'm coming to grips on the rear main idea (i.e. time for me to sell it for what I can...) but would love to hear otherwise.

Thanks,

Womprat78

If it is coming from above the oil filter it could be the oil filter adapter, if you have a 4.0 v6...probably and easier fix than the rear main...

 

[Womprat78]

Interesting. I'll have to check that out.
Thanks for the heads up.

-Justin

 

[Jason94sport]

Have you checked your valve covers & oil pressure switch?
The rear main seal leaking is a common problem, however it should not be driping like you say. It gets the oil pan & surrounding area's wet with oil, but shouldn't be dripping. Sounds like you have a major oil leak somewhere.

 

[tmh6202]

Have you checked your valve covers & oil pressure switch?
The rear main seal leaking is a common problem, however it should not be driping like you say. It gets the oil pan & surrounding area's wet with oil, but shouldn't be dripping. Sounds like you have a major oil leak somewhere.

I agree, unless you are having a catastrophic main seal failure, which there would most likely be other issues beside the leak, and probably a larger leak. The filter adapter has a through bolt to the block that requires 26-30 lb-ft torque, could be loose, but more likely to be a bad seal there.

 

[Womprat78]

This is encouraging info. Guess maybe I'm a glass-half-empty guy and assumed the worst first. I think I'll take the easy way out and take it to a mechanic where we can lift it up and look around. I got burned out on laying on my back and hitting my head yesterday (Mississippi heat didn't help either.)

Thanks.

-Justin

 

[Brett F.]

One time I changed the oil in my ranger and the rubber gasket on the old oil filter stuck to the filter adapter. When I put the new one on it leaked like crazy. I didn't know it was there. When I took if off to find out why it leaked the old one came off also.

 

[Jason94sport]

Make sure you have the correct oil filter too. I know guys that had the wrong filter that was in the right box with the right part #.

 

[Womprat78]

Well Guys,

You were all more or less correct. I dropped by an oil change place Saturday morning and we eventually located that it was the oil filter itself. It wasn't sealing correctly (we didn't look into why) but a new one did the job. I'm guessing that the heat of the engine caused everything to snug up and seal off after it had been running for a while (explaining why it stopped leaking after a few hundred yards.)

Either way... 15 bucks and 30 minutes to solve this problem. I don't think you can ask for something simpler. Especially when you get the words "rear main" on the mind.

Thanks,
Justin

P.S. If anyone knows anyone near Vicksburg interested in a '78 Bronco, could you send them to: www.latech.edu/~jaa012/1978Bronco/

 

[tmh6202]

Well Guys,

You were all more or less correct. I dropped by an oil change place Saturday morning and we eventually located that it was the oil filter itself. It wasn't sealing correctly (we didn't look into why) but a new one did the job. I'm guessing that the heat of the engine caused everything to snug up and seal off after it had been running for a while (explaining why it stopped leaking after a few hundred yards.)

Either way... 15 bucks and 30 minutes to solve this problem. I don't think you can ask for something simpler. Especially when you get the words "rear main" on the mind.

Thanks,
Justin

P.S. If anyone knows anyone near Vicksburg interested in a '78 Bronco, could you send them to: www.latech.edu/~jaa012/1978Bronco/

Glad to hear it was a simple, cheap fix, those are rare these days....