rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

[cam98aro]

ok, im not having this problem, but rather a question about it

how bad of a rear main seal leak would it cause for a clutch to slip?

i replaced my clutch back in september and also the rear main seal, and i also had a slight oil pan leak, so i tightened the bolts up just a tiny bit.. which i think was a mistake.

i was under my car today, and the exhaust pipe that follows the oil pan was soaked in oil, the bottom of the pan was also soaked

i have around 2300 miles on this oil change and i have already put 4 quarts of oil in the car because it keeps leaking out.. i can also smelt burnt oil after i drive.

only thing, is im not sure if it is the rear main seal, or the oil pan gasket

so basically, how can i tell which one it is, rear main or oil pan gasket? if it was my rear main (and taking into account how much oil i am loosing) do you guys think my clutch would be slipping very badly?

im thinking maybe i can slip my finger into the holes where the slave hydraulic line and the bleeder valve are and see if oil is back there.. anyone else got some other tips?

thanks

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

Q-Tips are wonderful little tools.

Best way to tell is to drop the trans and look, you have to do it either way to fix it.

[cam98aro]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

Q-Tips are wonderful little tools.

Best way to tell is to drop the trans and look, you have to do it either way to fix it.

you have to drop the transmission to replace the oil pan gasket?

but thanks, i will try and get a q-tip in that area to see if there is any oil down there

[hotrod19]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

i would say it is your rear main. when rear mains leak they can leak a lot. had a truck that needed a rear main and that thing just poured oil.

[Rob Bell]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

You could try getting that flourescent dye and putting that in the oil, and then take it for a drive. Then you'll be able to tell pretty quickly where the oil is coming from. If the dye is further up than the pan gasket, you know it's the rear main seal. Actually, if you clean off the area pretty good, you probably will be able to see if the oil pan gasket is actually leaking. Since it's not under pressure, it will leak all the time or it won't leak at all.

I would do this: Clean off the area really well, using brake system cleaner or engine degreaser. Then drive it around. Don't go too fast, because you don't want the oil blowing all over the place from the wind. If you see oil above the pan gasket (even w/o doing the dye) then you know it's the seal. Just drive around for 30 mins or so and see where the fresh oil is at. That will probably tell you. 4 qts in 2300 miles is a ton of oil, you should be able to tell really quickly. If you cannot tell from this, then I'd suggest the dye and a blacklight.

[cam98aro]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

i would say it is your rear main. when rear mains leak they can leak a lot. had a truck that needed a rear main and that thing just poured oil.

i understand where you are coming from, but i always had a slight oil pan gasket leak that would drip and burn off on my exhaust, but i also chnged my rear main seal when i did my clutch, and it has been getting worse ever since (the oil leak)

im kinda hesitant that it is the rear main, because it seems that once my oil is about 1.2 quarts low, it doesnt get any lower than that.. but im really not sure if the oil rises above the gasket with a full 4.5 quarts.. and if i am leaking that much, i would expect my clutch to be slipping badly.. im going to check the bellhousing tomorrow because if it is a rear main, it has to be almost impossible for the flywheel not to fling oil everywhere inside there

You could try getting that flourescent dye and putting that in the oil, and then take it for a drive. Then you'll be able to tell pretty quickly where the oil is coming from. If the dye is further up than the pan gasket, you know it's the rear main seal. Actually, if you clean off the area pretty good, you probably will be able to see if the oil pan gasket is actually leaking. Since it's not under pressure, it will leak all the time or it won't leak at all.

I would do this: Clean off the area really well, using brake system cleaner or engine degreaser. Then drive it around. Don't go too fast, because you don't want the oil blowing all over the place from the wind. If you see oil above the pan gasket (even w/o doing the dye) then you know it's the seal. Just drive around for 30 mins or so and see where the fresh oil is at. That will probably tell you. 4 qts in 2300 miles is a ton of oil, you should be able to tell really quickly. If you cannot tell from this, then I'd suggest the dye and a blacklight.

yeah, i can try and do that.. i have tried looking around the area before, but its hard to tell where it actually is coming from

im thinking it might be the pan gasket because there is no oil leaking between the trans and bellhousing, and i would think the bellhousing would have to get filled with oil for it to actually start leaking out from between that and the engine

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

you have to drop the transmission to replace the oil pan gasket?

but thanks, i will try and get a q-tip in that area to see if there is any oil down there

To replace the pan gasket, No. But I believe it is the rear main. It adds up all too well.

[cam98aro]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

To replace the pan gasket, No. But I believe it is the rear main. It adds up all too well.

it may be, but i would be very surprised to have this bad of a leak (i put oil in about a week ago, and im already down 1/2 quart) to have the clutch not slip on me

[cam98aro]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

ok guys, i was just outside under my car

the bellhousing and flywheel seemed perfectly dry, i tried my best to clean up around the oil pan and i started my car, i let it sit an idle for a while and when i shut it off, i immediately got underneath the car, there was oil around the drivers side bolt on the oil pan on the corner, it looked like oil was seeping from under the bolt

so that sounds like an oil pan gasket, right?

edit* and it doesnt look too hard to replace the gasket, only thing that looks like it could be in the way is the exhaust cross over pipe that goes under the oil pan

[Rob Bell]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

Yep, that sounds like it's the oil pan gasket. Have you tried backing off the bolt just a little? Maybe it's too tight and is crushing the gasket, causing a leak. If that doesn't work, then you'll have to take the pan off. Honestly, you'll probably have to take the pan off anyway to fix it right, because the gasket is probably just shot. I don't know how hard it is to take the pan off, though.

[cam98aro]

Re: rear main seal/oil pan gasket leak/clutch slippage

Yep, that sounds like it's the oil pan gasket. Have you tried backing off the bolt just a little? Maybe it's too tight and is crushing the gasket, causing a leak. If that doesn't work, then you'll have to take the pan off. Honestly, you'll probably have to take the pan off anyway to fix it right, because the gasket is probably just shot. I don't know how hard it is to take the pan off, though.

i will probably just live with it for now and pick up a new gasket, i have always had an oil pan gasket leak back there except it was never this bad