Can't find my oil leak!

[LA_phantom_240]

So... my s14 is leaking oil (surprise surprise), and its really pissing me off. the radiator hoses are oily as hell, as are all the accessories on the motor. The oil pan has a few spots around its perimeter that have droplets, and only one of those droplets drips. The valve cover isn't leaking, and I'm pretty sure the rear main isn't either, because from what I've heard when that happens your clutch will slip like hell... This leak wouldn't bother me much except for the fact that somehow some oil ends up on top of the cat (mounted on the header b-pipe from the factory) and so my car always smells like burning oil outside. Any ideas where my oil leak could be coming from? And why when I check my oil, it is only slightly below where I filled it when I changed it? Its like oil is coming from nowhere! lol. And its not power steering fluid.

[shade]

Mine never had an oil leak, only power steering line leaks and my accessories were in the same condition as yours too . Thats because the first owner decided to put regular old power steering fluid and it ate out some of the lines, of course it started leaking. Are you sure you have been putting ATF and not PS fluid?

[LA_phantom_240]

Its not PS fluid. My reservoir hasn't needed any fluid since I got the car in September.

[illxs14]

the main seal?
thats where mine was leaking from, then the stupid fan blew and it was all over the engine bay. nothing a power washer, engine cleaner, and a a sunday afternoon wouldnt fix haha.

[WilloW]

Get an oil dye kit with the UV light, I'm pretty sure with that you'll find the leak. You can find them at the local autopart store.

[sikkk240]

Clean as much off as you can.

And just let it run, jack it up, get on hands and knees. Just start looking.

[LA_phantom_240]

That's the thing, it doesn't seem to leak when it idles. Just ever so slightly. I sure hope it isn't the front main seal... i don't know how to do tackle that other than replacing the front cover, in which case I might as well do the timing chain as well.

[KA-T_240]

Have you had the head off recently? Make sure its not leaking between the head and block. other wise it could be coming from where the oil filter goes on or one of your main seals. It would be hard for oil from the oil pan to get to the top of your motor on the outside.

[180sx_Drifter]

i remember that mine was leaking from the turbo line. i wash missing one of the copper washers. might wanna check. thats if you have an sr, if you are running ka then check and see if anything is loose like oil filter, etc. Good luck bro.

[LA_phantom_240]

Oh shit. I think I have a warped head. Its starting to make sense. It bogs after 4k rpms lately, and about a month ago I overheated the fuck out of it... I figured it was bad fuel (long story short, my gas got contaminated with about a gallon of diesel).... Yeah... i think its time to run the piss out of it and then swap another motor in there.

[Rnz520]

Mine has so many oil leaks I gave up tyring to pin point them

[SR20d2fourT]

Just got my leak fixed not too long ago. Couldn't find mine either and it was all over the place!!

Ended up being the crank seal. Take that bitch to a car wash, clean the engine up, turn it on and let it run. Check behind the fan, around the pulley and check for oil. It was my problem and I hope it's not yours. It sucks.

Goodluck :}

[jskateborders]

^^^ thats what I was about to say as well. Place that would spread it (fan) making it a bitch to locate. Also, Do you have a breather filter? that might be spewing oil around your engine bay as well.

[LA_phantom_240]

No breather, and I have an electric fan. The crank pulley doesn't seem oily, but there is oil splatter getting on my UPPER radiator hose too! So its gotta be hitting a belt or pulley somewhere and slinging it. I think its the front main or a warped head. One of the two.

[Rnz520]

I was thinking the same thing too, and if it is, then its not getting replaced since I am rebuilding my motor for boost this summer.

[racer98]

So... my s14 is leaking oil (surprise surprise), and its really pissing me off. the radiator hoses are oily as hell, as are all the accessories on the motor. The oil pan has a few spots around its perimeter that have droplets, and only one of those droplets drips. The valve cover isn't leaking, and I'm pretty sure the rear main isn't either, because from what I've heard when that happens your clutch will slip like hell... This leak wouldn't bother me much except for the fact that somehow some oil ends up on top of the cat (mounted on the header b-pipe from the factory) and so my car always smells like burning oil outside. Any ideas where my oil leak could be coming from? And why when I check my oil, it is only slightly below where I filled it when I changed it? Its like oil is coming from nowhere! lol. And its not power steering fluid.

had that problem , its probably the main oil seal right behind the crank pulley, and if that is its a $5 seal at the local parts store. its the same item as a SR20DE FWD item. good luck.


1st get some oil eater spay the motor down and wash it out and check every thing.

[pr0ject TRUENO]

This should have eliminated the problem at post #5. Clean off all the oil and do exactly what willow suggested.

Get an oil dye kit with the UV light, I'm pretty sure with that you'll find the leak. You can find them at the local autopart store.

[LA_phantom_240]

This should have eliminated the problem at post #5. Clean off all the oil and do exactly what willow suggested.

I have reservations about washing my motor after the last time... but I'll definitely give it a shot. I have a pressure washer at work the heats the water to 250 degrees, so it melts the hell out of oil and grease. We use it to pressure wash greasy winch drums... and cable grease + 10 years of working in the gulf = sticky shit.

[slider2828]

Nah I wouldn't use pressure washer either.... Asking for more problems than anything... Just use brake cleaner and towel... No biggy

[LA_phantom_240]

Um... No. I have big arms. Big arms don't get into tight spots. Hot ass water does though :D

And where do I get that UV shit? I know they have it for a/c systems, but for crankcase oils? Never seen it.

[projectRDM]

You can wash anything on the engine as long as it's cold. Just keep the water flow limited to the oily areas and don't soak the distributor. I used to pressure wash my engine and engine bay weekly when I had access to a place to do it. You won't hurt a thing.

As far as the leak, I'd say front crank seal as well. They begin to leak around 60k and every 60k afterwards. Pull the crank pulley off, pry out the seal, pop in a new one. It's a 30 minute job at the very longest. You do not have to pull anything else.

[LA_phantom_240]

You can wash anything on the engine as long as it's cold. Just keep the water flow limited to the oily areas and don't soak the distributor. I used to pressure wash my engine and engine bay weekly when I had access to a place to do it. You won't hurt a thing.

As far as the leak, I'd say front crank seal as well. They begin to leak around 60k and every 60k afterwards. Pull the crank pulley off, pry out the seal, pop in a new one. It's a 30 minute job at the very longest. You do not have to pull anything else.

It will take me a bit longer as I would go ahead and tackle some other stuff as well while I'm at it... but damn, 60k miles? My last s13 had like 120k on an all stock motor and no leak.

[singlecamslam]

sorry noob here, didnt look at the date untill it was too late.

[S14DB]

Front Main. Take the belts off and pull the crank pulley. Replace seal.

[singlecamslam]

just had a question.... do the input shaft seals usually go bad? because i'm dripping oil after i drive my car for a while and the drops come right where the transmission bolts to the engine. I do not think its the rear main because my clutch isn't slipping, or could it be a slight leak? sorry to thread jack. i should of probably looked at the oil to figure if it was tranny or engine oil before putting the car away haha...

[HalveBlue]

^^^Yes, oil leaks from the rear main seal are definitely NOT uncommon.

Fortunately, it's a relatively easy and cheap fix. The hardest part will be getting the transmission off and on.