New Opti, now car leaks oil

[nascarnate326]

Changed my opti last year, since then the car leaks oil around the opti area hardcore. Got under the car today to install some turn signals and realized just how bad it is...totally unacceptable. Way more than I thought, gonna be a SOB to get this cleaned up. Oil all over my opti

What did I do wrong? Before the opti change my motor was semi clean.

Crappy pics:

[Gaspo]

from what i remember, there is an o ring that you have to make sure is put on just right. cant remember if it goes on the end of the distributor or if it goes on the opti. i did it wrong the first time i did it. had to take it out and replace it. that was a few years ago tho.

[meissen]

If it truly is a result of the optispark installation, the only two things it could be would be the seal which mates with the camshaft or the crank hub...... right smack behind the optispark.



Edit: Or like Jeremy said - there ARE the two little o-rings:

[bri2203]

so thats how you oil your spark plug wires!

[ryanwarby01]

Mine did this once when I changed the opti and it turned out to be the water pump seal on the timing cover.

[nascarnate326]

If I have to take the opti off I might ass well cam it. Need to sell this idea to Courtney...

[97firehawk]

Did you install a new seal on the timing cover with the opti if you did and for some reason put oil on the new seal it will leak rite away it must be installed dry . And you should always use a new seal with a new opti in my opinion.

[masterfab]

sounds like either the opti drive seal. or the water pump drive seal. when you changed the opti did you use a tool that looks like this along with a new seal.

shown with new seal on the tool.

[nascarnate326]

i took old opti off and put new one on. didnt know about seals

[Boost Addict]

Had a similar experience on my truck when I changed the power steering pump (runs off the vacuum pump), started it up and had no more power steering leak, but now it was engine oil. Wasn't too happy when I had to remove everything I had just installed.

[2002Z4CSS]

You don't want engine oil to get into the Opti. That will not be a good thing. Was the replacement Opti new or remanufactured? If reman, it may have some slop in the drive shaft.

[nascarnate326]

You don't want engine oil to get into the Opti. That will not be a good thing. Was the replacement Opti new or remanufactured? If reman, it may have some slop in the drive shaft.

Brand new Chandler Motor Sports.

I think it will be fine, Ill just tear it apart in a few weeks and replace all of these seals after I clean the hell out of it.

[meissen]

Open up the optispark, clean it, threadlock the bolt that backs out inside it, put it together, RTV from the outside so the seam is water proof, fix the seals, cam the engine, put it back together.

[sman]

Open up the optispark, clean it, threadlock the bolt that backs out inside it, put it together, RTV from the outside so the seam is water proof, fix the seals, cam the engine, put it back together.

Very stealthy, lol. Just sliding that one in there eh?

[meissen]

Nate was already planning on it, this just moves his plans up