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rear bank oil leak

9

99SE

CEG'er
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
470
Location
Ranson, WV
I remember this being discussed before but I cannot find anything on it. I have an oil leak that I cannot find the area where it is coming from. I have a 2.5l atx and the oil leak is on the passenger side rear bank. The alternator is getting covered and the back firewall has some residue on it also. When I look behind the engine I see several parts that are caked in old oil and now has dirt all stuck to it. It has been leaking for a little while now and I couldn't find the problem before and I just figured that I would fix it when it gets worse. It is loosing about a 1/3 quart of oil every 3,000 miles. It doesn't leave any drips on the ground either. Any help???
 
Are you sure it's oil? Just asking, since I know some have posted about their power steering leaking, also.

I'd agree with Brian, though. Valve Cover gasket would be the first place I checked.
 
Are there any power steering fluid lines that run around the back of the engine? I can work on older engines but I don't know too much about the newer stuff. If it was the valve cover what do you guys think a garage would charge me to fix it?
 
Maybe 2 hours of labor or so, I'd guess. :shrug: Shouldn't be too hard, just take off coil pack, maybe UIM. Then you should be able to get at all of the bolts that hold it on.
 
get a telescoping mirror and flash light and start looking.

I had an oil leak at the head gasket on the rear of the engine in my 98 SVT. I looked everywhere with a mirror and couldn't see any oil coming from the valve cover as that was the first place I was told to look as well. Had a few streaking marks coming down the back of the block right under the exhaust manifold, but nothing higher so I figured it had to be an external leak at the head gasket.

I ended up pulling the heads and replacing the head gasket and many other seals/gaskets along the way.

As for your question about the PS lines running to the back of the engine... yes, there is. The return lines on mine were leaking due to the hard line portion rusting through. In the area you are describing the leak is in, one return line is rubber and runs up to the reservoir and the other is a hard line going to the rack. There is also the pressure hose that is a hard line at the rack, then becomes a rubber hose to come up near the alternator to on top the engine bay to the motor mount and then goes back into a hard line and connects to the PS pump. So it could be likely that you have a leak in one of those PS lines, but neither is easy to replace with the engine in the car.

So first make sure what fluid is leaking. Then go from there with where you should start looking.
 
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