OIL LEAK!!!

[oreobadr]

Just the other day i noticed probably about 10 drops of oil on the floor of my garage. Seeing this and it scaring me I jacked up the car and noticed that my car is leaking oil. THe oil leak is only on the driver side and is on the bell housing of the transmission and it comes down to where the engine meets the transmission, and it seems like its coming from where a braided line meets the transmission. Do you guys think its a rear main seal? (it seemed like it was too high to be a rear main seal and Im pretty positive its not a valve cover because they were very dry) so what do you guys think it is? Also when do you guys think its necessary to actually replace it?
Thanks a lot!
Brendan

[zeeman]

Brendan, the first thing to do is get a can of brake cleaner and spray all the oil off the engine. use a mirror and flashlight to look at the top,& back of engine. The oil is going to run downwards, due to gravity. So once the motor is clean and dry start it up and let it run for a few seconds. Shut it off and start looking around. Look at the common leak points ,oil pressure sender is a good one. Another is around the oil filter. Valve covers can be a real bugger sometimes. You may need to remove the transmission inspection cover and spray that down so you can tell if its fresh oil and where it is coming from.you just have to trace it back to where it came from to know what to fix.
Good luck.

[oreobadr]

I cant even see the oil pressure sender so how am I supposed to tell if its coming from there? Also I was reading about some people with a tubing issue from dry rot that caused an oil leak? And yeah ill remove the inspection cover and see whats going on tomorrow.
Thanks

[zeeman]

That's what the mirror and flash light are for. Wear your safety glasses.

[oreobadr]

So I found out it is the oil pressure sending unit and I brought it to a shop and the guy wants 390 dollars!! I know that you have to take the intake gasket off and replace the intake gasket, but doesnt this seem very high? and if there is someone close to grosse pointe that I could bring it to would one of you be able to do it? or at least help me get it done because I dont have 390 bucks to spend haha

[sman]

You can reuse the intake gaskets. Only parts cost should be the sensor. Pull intake, remove sensor, reinstall intake. Should take no time at all.

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[oreobadr]

Do i really want to reuse intake gaskets though? and even if I get new ones 400 dollars seems really high.

[sman]

All the gaskets in the ls motors are designed to be reused except the head gaskets and I think something else. They aren't gaskets in the traditional sense, they are a silicone type seal, usually reinforced by aluminum. But even if you choose to replace them they are 40ish dollars if I remember correctly.

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[zeeman]

Wait a minute. What car do you have? What engine? Someone mentioned a ls...... I thought you had a 1982 camaro? do you have an ls in an 82 camaro?
Why cant you just remove and install a new sender? Remove the intake? How did you determine that the sender is the culprit?

[oreobadr]

SOrry haha its a 2002 trans am with a ls1 and a 6 speed transmission. I brought it to the shop and they also agreed that it was the oil pressure sending unit after they did a careful inspection. Do you think that 400 dollars is too much money? and a lot of people take off their intakes to do it because there is so little clearance

[CMYZGO]

I've never done it myself but after watching videos on YouTube and reading up on it I would recommend doing it yourself if you have any mechanical abilities. Save your money. Read and watch some videos and do it on a weekend and take your time.

[oreobadr]

I'm pretty good with that kind of stuff.. I know my way around an engine pretty well, I just dont want to mess up my 2002 trans am. Just want to be safe about it.

[sman]

400 is outrageous.

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[OIF1VET]

The first time I pulled my intake it took me 4-5 hours.. Now, 30 minutes.. The biggest pains are the 4 back bolts on the intake(2 each side) because they are under the cowl. A little trick that will help, once these bolts are loose, slide them up and put some tape around the base to keep them up. That way, when pulling the intake, they are not trying to drop down and get caught on the heads.. These 4 bolts will not come out of the intake because of the cowling..

[sman]

The first time I pulled my intake it took me 4-5 hours.. Now, 30 minutes.. The biggest pains are the 4 back bolts on the intake(2 each side) because they are under the cowl. A little trick that will help, once these bolts are loose, slide them up and put some tape around the base to keep them up. That way, when pulling the intake, they are not trying to drop down and get caught on the heads.. These 4 bolts will not come out of the intake because of the cowling..

Extremely good advice, forgot about those little guys. Extra 2 minutes of work will save you some time and hassle.

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