oil leak pissin me off

**Sapper** · 08-05-2013, 07:28 AM

OK, I have this oil leak from the back of the motor, on top somewhere. This is really hindering my ability to make the shootout and being able to race the car there. I need to get this fixed so I can try to get an appt to get it tuned before the shootout. Otherwise, it'll be trailered there just to look at. Ugghhhh!!!!

It's behind the heads somewhere and is NOT the oil pressure sending unit. I have dye in it and it first started down the right side and dripping off the starter. So I cleaned it all up, pulled the intake, checked the sending unit. Nothing. Resealed, installed intake. Took it for a drive. Now it's getting worse. Down both sides of bellhousing and back of block is glowing with dye.
I guess the next step is clean it all off real well, put it all together and use a fiber optic camera while it's running. The only plug I can think of is the one on the deck surface that's half under the head. Which means pulling a head.

Any other thoughts?

**hvyss** · 08-05-2013, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Sapper

OK, I have this oil leak from the back of the motor, on top somewhere. This is really hindering my ability to make the shootout and being able to race the car there. I need to get this fixed so I can try to get an appt to get it tuned before the shootout. Otherwise, it'll be trailered there just to look at. Ugghhhh!!!!

It's behind the heads somewhere and is NOT the oil pressure sending unit. I have dye in it and it first started down the right side and dripping off the starter. So I cleaned it all up, pulled the intake, checked the sending unit. Nothing. Resealed, installed intake. Took it for a drive. Now it's getting worse. Down both sides of bellhousing and back of block is glowing with dye.
I guess the next step is clean it all off real well, put it all together and use a fiber optic camera while it's running. The only plug I can think of is the one on the deck surface that's half under the head. Which means pulling a head.

Any other thoughts?

check the back of the intake. LT1's are bad for intake oil leaks on the back rail of the motor and what kind of gasket sealer did u use. I used THE RIGHT STUFF. It's the only gasket sealer I will ever use. My intake was sealed with it and it has never leaked. 3 years later and who knows how many nitrous passes and the motor and intake look like I installed it yesterday.

***popo8*** · 08-05-2013, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by hvyss

check the back of the intake. LT1's are bad for intake oil leaks on the back rail of the motor and what kind of gasket sealer did u use. I used THE RIGHT STUFF. It's the only gasket sealer I will ever use. My intake was sealed with it and it has never leaked. 3 years later and who knows how many nitrous passes and the motor and intake look like I installed it yesterday.

+1

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**beaver50** · 08-05-2013, 08:20 AM

I got the same problem.Its the intake leaking.Im getting to mine this week.

**Sapper** · 08-05-2013, 08:33 AM

That's what I used this time but I normally don't. I usually always use GM's GMS. I just didn't have enough left to do the intake. But I WILL be coming home with a new tube today.

But after pulling the intake. The sealant was flat and uniform all the way across. That's why I'm not suspecting an intake leak.

Also, the back of the block all the way across the rear of the intake is completely dry.

**Spartan7** · 08-05-2013, 09:06 AM

The only other thing back there is valve covers. Have you pulled them yet?

**Sapper** · 08-05-2013, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by Spartan7

The only other thing back there is valve covers. Have you pulled them yet?

Backs of the heads dry. Even though I have more room than a F-body to work with, Somehow I know I'm gonna have to pull this motor AGAIN!! to find this little PITA leak.

It's really pissing me off. I'm 0 for 3 right now and working on 0 for 4.
The car wasn't finished for 1) my sons prom, 2) his graduation, 3) our local big car show last weekend, now it's pushing for the LTx shootout.
Anymore after this, I'm putting a bullet through the block and starting over with an LSx. I have almost $10k wrapped up in this build in the past year and I've about had it.

**beaver50** · 08-05-2013, 12:09 PM

Shit with 10K into it,I wouldnt shoot it and start over.But im posative its your intake.The reason im saying this is.ive been threw the same thing.I put valve pan covers I took the intake off still a leak.I have a buddy thats into these LT1 engines.Hes has one in a chevy s10 and another one in hes f-body.Hes done several swaps in a lot of vehicles with the LT1.He swares its the intake.Its suppose to be common thing in these cars.Ounce fixed there no more problems.I know im going to listen to him.

**Sapper** · 08-05-2013, 03:22 PM

OK, I'm not an artist by any means and don't have photoshop. But here's an idea of what I have going on.
Blue represents dry areas with no oil what-so-ever. Red is where I have oil running.

This pic is my current setup with my sending units. No leaks there. The other is during the build just to show the Steel braided crossover.

**hvyss** · 08-05-2013, 04:19 PM

Well the pics just eliminated the rear main. I still want to say it's from the intake though. Even though u say it's dry along the block and where the intake meet.