Chasing another oil leak

[Large Arbor]

Very funny...It would be better if I had not already been in there a year or so ago replacing a ring gear on the flywheel. However, I have done it so many times now, it's getting to be a couple of days work and is not big deal. I am just seeing if I can actually get a Shelby block to seal up. The TA-31 stuff sealed the pan up well, but I only ran for about 15 minutes. Before the pan seal redo though I could have seen oil everywhere and now it's a 50 cent piece spot overnight. Fortunately, I have a lift to make the job somewhat easier.

Phil

[patrickt]

I would not pull the seats, carpet, tunnel, transmission, bellhousing, clutch, flywheel, and blockplate for a drop of that size.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I would not pull the seats, carpet, tunnel, transmission, bellhousing, clutch, flywheel, and blockplate for a drop of that size.

Normal concrete or painted concrete?

Gary

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

Normal concrete or painted concrete?

If the drip is always coming pretty much from the same spot, then fastening a sponge to the area will make the problem "go away." Don't laugh, but sometimes a fix like that, or even a full-fledged drape like this: https://www.oildiaper.com/ , will get you by for years.

[Large Arbor]

I am a little retentive with oil leaks. I have a plain concrete floor but I don't like oil dripping on my driveway. I will likely let it go till next season but if I get bored, I may pull seats,carpet, trans, bell housing, clutch, pressure plate etc. to try to stop it.

Time will tell...I don't like the diaper approach though.

Phil

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

l...I don't like the diaper approach though.

Phil

OK, I kinda feel the same way.

[davids2toys]

I don't like the diaper approach either but I did it a few years back, out of time and laziness. I believe I bought this piece from ERA for 50.00. Pretty easy to make yourself. Also much cheaper and all you do is stuff a fresh pig in it when the used the used one is saturated. That diaper online was 1439.99 and needed to be change out each time for another new one...I don't think so! Here are some pics. I know my car is not up to Patrick cleanliness!!!
I still have my leaking issues and plan on addressing them very soon. I was going to do it this Winter but bought unexpected 36 Ford project and a New Indian motorcycle. as usual, not enough time in the day!

[RACERAL]

I put the dye in my oil and chased down a leak that way.. hit it with a black light and bam... there is was

[ERA 626]

Damn man, that would be know as a lazy diaper pan lol...

[Kit Coyle]

F-4s always leak...utility hydraulic failure?

[Large Arbor]

I chased down some oil leaks. First was from the loose oil pressure line to the gauge. That was leaking big time. The other which I did not see until I pulled the transmission and bell housing was leaking through the intake. I was able to squeeze some Right Stuff in the gap and it sealed it up! So now I have no leaks except for a tiny residual drip that is complete manageable.

Phil

[RockBit]

I have tried and failed to get rid of all the oil leaks in my FE.

First I removed the transmission, clutch, flywheel, and block plate and added dye in the oil. Cleaned the back of the block thoroughly and ran the engine until it was hot. A black light showed the leak was from the side seal on the rear main bearing cap. I fixed that. I apparently didn't do a good job on the oil pan gasket, though, so later noticed that was leaking.

I replace the oil pan gasket. It is completely dry.

Both valve covers were leaking, so I replace those. Fixed.

When I had the transmission out and dye in the oil, I looked at all the plugs in the back of the engine carefully. No sign of any leaks.

I have looked at the intake manifold all the way around. No sign of any leak.

I still have a small leak that runs down the block plate and drips off the bottom. The bell housing is dry inside. The small leak looks bigger than it is the way the oil spreads on my epoxy garage floor.

I hate oil leaks, but have just lived with it rather than pull the transmission (seats, tunnel, flywheel, etc.) again. I just don't know where it is coming from, even after having been under the car many times with a bright flashlight. I'm thinking about the diaper approach.

I really hate leaving an oil spot on someone's driveway.

[blykins]

When we work with FE's, we're working with architecture and technology from the late 50's and 60's.

They sometimes have leaks.

The only real thing in an FE's favor is the one-piece oil pan gasket. Other than that, the 4 piece rear main seal, valve cover gaskets that cover a seam, etc., aren't really the epitome of sealing.

The use of an aluminum block exacerbates the chances of those leaks. The block squirms around about .010-.015" with heat expansion and cooling. It's sometimes very hard to keep everything sealed up over time.

[patrickt]

Do not dismiss the notion that your valve covers/gaskets are still leaking just a bit, especially the passenger side back. Rip up a nice clean white bed sheet and tie it completely around the head and valve cover so that it's snug. Take the car for a nice hard run, let the engine cool off, and remove the sheet. If there's even the slightest oil stain then you're leaking or "misting" oil. When that happens it almost always trails down the back of the block and block plate and then drips off the bottom of the bell housing or from behind the starter motor. Now, FWIW, here is what I did to finally stop every last lick of valve cover leakage. No guaranties that it will work for you, but if you fail the bed sheet test you will never, ever, not have a periodic drip on your floor. Even one drop of oil on the floor bugs me.

These are the steps I used, and it took me over 10 years to finally achieve success. Remember, I have solid, flat tappets so I have to be able to periodically remove my valve covers to check the lash. These steps assume your valve covers are reasonably true and that you are using studs with your heads and covers. It also assumes that the spots where your intake manifold and heads meet up are not "too bad."

1) Clean up the rim around the heads where the gasket sits thoroughly. I like to use 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner 08984. Get it clean enough to eat of off and then put a small glob of Open Gear Grease on the four places where the intake manifold meets the two heads, and in to the little crack where they actually meet up, and then put a light smear of it around the rim of the head where the gasket sits.

2) I use the Fel-Pro SFL1632 Blue Stripe gaskets. Place the gaskets down on the head, over your studs, and fit them down lightly with your fingers.

3) Clean the rims of the valve covers with 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner 08984 and put a light coating of 3M Yellow Super Weather-strip and Gasket Adhesive 08001 on both the top of the gaskets that are on the heads and to the rims of the valve covers. DO NOT PLACE THE VALVE COVERS ON THE HEADS UNTIL YOU HAVE ALLOWED THE CEMENT TO "FLASH DRY."

4) Allow the cement to flash dry for about three minutes and then place the valve covers down on the gaskets, but do not bolt them down. Tap them down lightly with a rubber mallet and let them dry for a couple of days.

5) After a couple of days, torque the valve cover bolts down to sixty inch/lbs. (five ft./lbs.) in increments of two pounds each going around the valve cover just like you would do a cylinder head. I prefer to use my inch/lb torque wrench that has a pointer instead of a clickable torque wrench when you're down at low inch/lbs numbers. DO NOT OVER-TORQUE.

6) Take the car out for a nice long run so that everything gets good and hot. After the engine has thoroughly cooled, re-torque the bolts to five ft./lbs again. You will be surprised at how loose they have become after the first run. Do not exceed five ft./lbs. in torque and you should not have to touch them again.

Hope this helps.

[PaulProe]

Patrick
To make sure I understand your process, looks like you're greasing the head/manifold lands as a release agent, adding a little extra grease in the 'crack' between the head and manifold.

Then putting the gasket over the studs and gooping it and the valve cover with the Gorilla snot.

Allow to flash off before assembling, then place the valve cover over the studs and let it set for a couple days

Torque in sequence to 5 ft/lbs (60 in/lbs). Heat cycle and re-torque.

Is this correct?

A few quick questions.

1) Understand why the release agent, but the purpose of getting the grease into the 'crack' Does that help it seal any or help the cork to compress down into that notch?

2) Any guesses as to why the passenger side head/valve cover seems to be more of a problem?

3) any comments or feelings about using Pontiac load spreaders on the two lower side studs to distribute the load a little better?

Thanks

Paul

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by PaulProe

Is this correct?

A few quick questions.

1) Understand why the release agent, but the purpose of getting the grease into the 'crack' Does that help it seal any or help the cork to compress down into that notch?

2) Any guesses as to why the passenger side head/valve cover seems to be more of a problem?

3) any comments or feelings about using Pontiac load spreaders on the two lower side studs to distribute the load a little better?

Correct.

1) The purpose of the Open Gear Grease is to: a) keep the gasket from sticking to the head because I have to remove it from time to time; and b) Open Gear Grease fills up that little crack where the manifold meets the head and it never melts down or dribbles out. It is very robust. But, if you don't have OGC on hand, axle grease is the next best thing.

2) I would guess it's because of the clockwise (from the viewpoint of standing in front of the car and staring directly in to the water pump) revolution of the engine. The "hurricane" of oil blows up in to that corner and valve cover more than over on the driver's side, but that's just my guess.

3) Maybe for a flimsy valve cover. My Blue Thunder VCs are actually pretty sturdy. But if you can wiggle your valve covers, then anything that adds strength would make sense to me.