Oil leak?????

[Donziweasel]

I am down about a quart after 2 weekends on the lake. I also have oil in the bilge. I have tried to get under the engine to check front and rear mains, but man, it is a bitch in the 16. Anywhere else I should look? Any ideas on how to check under the tightest bilge on the planet?

[mrfixxall]

I am down about a quart after 2 weekends on the lake. I also have oil in the bilge. I have tried to get under the engine to check front and rear mains, but man, it is a bitch in the 16. Anywhere else I should look? Any ideas on how to check under the tightest bilge on the planet?

possible distributer gasget?

[Donziweasel]

I'll look, but didn't see any oil on top of the engine.

[kd5cue]

check vavle cover gaskets at the back

[Donziweasel]

I think it is coming from the starbard side front, still not sure where.

[BUIZILLA]

intake manifold end rail seals..... in the corners...

now, if your intake gasket has a vacuum leak here AND on the manifold face under the intake in the valley, there's your vacuum leak, which would esplain why you had to fatten the carb to get it to run right at HIGH altitude...

[Donziweasel]

Oil on front starbord might have been from me adding and spilling a little. Found some oil on the rear below intake. Pretty sure it did not come out of the intake though.

[yeller]

Do you have an oil cooler? I've had a small leak for awhile now and I think I found it last night. :crossfing: A hose clamp running to the oil cooler was loose.

[Donziweasel]

No oil cooler, I took the tops of the exhaust manifolds off to get a better look under the engine. More oil on rear of engine, but still cannnot find a definite leak. Man, this is driving me crazy! I think I cracked a rib this weekend and it hurts like hell to look. Might have to wait till tommorrow to continue the search, but any ideas are appreciated

[Donziweasel]

Here are some pics of the bildge and engine, not that they will help much. Man, alot of oil, about 3/4 of a quart in there!

[smokediver]

If you un - do your hatch support from the engine compartment , tilt the hatch way up till it is resting on the lift ring ... you can squeeze your upper body down the starboard side :yes: ... if i can do it ... you should be able to !

[Donziweasel]

I will try and look some more tommorrow. I bent over looking in the bildge so much, it really irritated my cracked rib. I have to rest up and try it again tommorrow. Might remove the starboard exhaust manifold. There was a lot of black soot in the risers. Running rich at one point perhaps. I posted a pic of a spark plug and it looked niether rich nor lean. Take a look-

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49844

[tmdog]

DW- Buiz is right. I already experienced this problem and it was a poor seal on the int. manifold rail in the rear. Their are two rails, you know. Under rpm air swirls under the hatch and may be difficult to pin down. Check the small dimples in the block near the front and rear of intake. If there is oil puddling there you have you answer.

[Donziweasel]

TM- you hit it on the head. In both small dimples there is oil. How do I fix it and what exactly is going on. Does this mean I also have a vacuum leak which could be causing some of my low end issues?

[kd5cue]

TM- you hit it on the head. In both small dimples there is oil. How do I fix it and what exactly is going on. Does this mean I also have a vacuum leak which could be causing some of my low end issues?
intake got come off and new gaskets installed,and yes you would have a bad vacuum leak,since been rejetting carbs and stuff ,trying fix bog you had,,once intake oil/vamuum leak is fixed,,you most likely have rejett again ....

[Donziweasel]

Thanks KD, you think it is simply a blown gasket or something other? Just pull the intake and replace? Man, you guys are great! 9 months of headaches might be over. Although it is not popping back through the carb much anymore, it still feels redicoulously doggy until the mid range. Almost like something is holding it back.

[BUIZILLA]

I never use the rubber end rail seals, I just use Ultra Black on a perfect clean surface and a NICE even steady bead about 1/4" high, 1/4" wide, let it sit for about 3-5 minutes and then install the intake CAREFULLY, put a tad extra silicone dab on all 4 corners of the rails, torque down the intake, and let it sit overnight. Do NOT wipe whatever squishes out, leave it alone.

also, make SURE the bottom of the intake is perfectly clean and DRY where the silicone sealant seals against it..

[Donziweasel]

Thanks Buizilla. Will pull it tommorrow and re-seal.

[BigGrizzly]

In fact Edelebrock tells you not to use them, they leak rtv is the way to go. I have had nothing but trouble with those gaskets until about 35 years ago and I started using RTV.

[Donziweasel]

Good idea, will do Scott. Thanks.

[Cuda]

I find it makes lining the manifold up on the bolt holes easier if I cut the heads off of 4 bolts, screw them into the cylinder heads and set the manifold down on top of them. Install a few "normal" bolts, remove the studs and replace with manifold bolts, torque and go...
I use the same method. I also use that method for installing exhaust manifolds.

[BUIZILLA]

you can only do that on a small block Vortec intake...

[Donziweasel]

It is Vortec..

[Rootsy]

those rubber and cork end gaskets are worthless... toss them right in the trash, do as Buizilla said... just don't skimp on the RTV...

Had the same thing happen once as i let the bead get too thin and it covered the back of the block and bilge with oil... aggrevating more than anything.

I put a dab under the corners of the intake gaskets, lay the gaskets on pushing the corners into the RTV where they meet the horizontal block sealing surface and then run my bead from about 1/4 inch on the gasket, across the wall on the block and 1/4 inch up the other gasket... just for insurance...

[Rootsy]

BTW, for god's sake man, do something with that yellow hose... get it attached so that it dumps into the carburetor venturis... if the diaphragm in the fuel pump fails you're going to cover your intake manifold in raw fuel... not a good thing to have happen...