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View Full Version : need help identifying this leak

Tenchuu
02-25-2008, 05:41 PM
so i went to change the oil this week on my RB and noticed the bottom of the transmission was wet with oil. after tracing it up i found this lovely mess. anyone care to help me out with what it may be? (all the red flecks is cinder they put on the roads for winter. still melting off snow over here)

from the bottom pics looking up:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/Tenchuuk/DSCN0664.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/Tenchuuk/DSCN0666.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/Tenchuuk/DSCN0668.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/Tenchuuk/DSCN0674.jpg

from the top looking down:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/Tenchuuk/DSCN0676.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/Tenchuuk/DSCN0679.jpg

and it hasn't been dripping, the oil level wasn't noticeably down after three months between the changes, and there is no burning oil smell or smoke. kinda like it is just a slow seep.
DunG HAB SP
02-25-2008, 05:44 PM
valve cover gasket
WilloW
02-25-2008, 05:54 PM
valve cover gasket
Sure look like it, I've got the same problem right now.
Tenchuu
02-25-2008, 06:06 PM
that is what i was leaning towards, but wanted to get quite a few more opinions before i went tearing into it.
ManoNegra
02-25-2008, 07:29 PM
Valve cover +1 one, my KA looked similar before I replaced mine.
rappadan
02-25-2008, 07:31 PM
do you have an exhaust leak also?? looks like in the first 2 pics your missing an exhaust manifold stud and nut.
Tenchuu
02-25-2008, 08:38 PM
do you have an exhaust leak also?? looks like in the first 2 pics your missing an exhaust manifold stud and nut.

no, I have handled 3 RB25DETs lately and none of them have that stud. the hole is filled in.
reccakun08
02-25-2008, 11:24 PM
Clean it off and then keep an eye on it to see where its starting from
slider2828
02-26-2008, 12:43 AM
O man, it might be a valve cover gasket, but I hope to god it isn't your head. But head stud stretch can cause a similar problem as well. Clean it and check but if it is valve cover you can run your hand across the valve cover seem and there SHOULD be some oil residue still. Things leak downwards, if you get to the top of it that is it. If the valve cover is dry, it might be head lift.
Tenchuu
08-09-2008, 06:29 PM
FYI it was the valve cover gasket, and for reference i got a #3 Phillips and all the screws had rattles loose. like less than hand tight loose. I tightened them all up today as it was progressively getting worse. am going to clean it up well and keep an eye on if that fixed the problem.
MELLO*SOS
08-09-2008, 07:06 PM
those vc screws suck, I replaced mine with some allen head things that are slightly better to work with; they don't strip nearly as easily.

PS I have the same VC leak; well it's the half moon in the rear of the exhaust vc..

Also there should be a stud there, that's the stud that always snaps/breaks on nearly all RBs... if it's blocked off it's probably because someone didn't take the time to remove it :(.

GL tenchuu