Maybe the crankshaft seal? Mine is leaking and the fan blows the oil all about the front passenger side of the engine.
Can the VVT (variable valve timing device0 be causing this?
Hi people....Son's back from college for the week, and I inspected his (my) spider,
noticed oily residue splattered around the pass side of the rad fan shroud, the ac drier canister, some hoses in that general area, and quite a bit pooling on the discharge ac hose fiting, where it connects on the compressor (the actual crimped aluminum end). Maybe it's the VVT device ? how can that oil get on the shroud top? No oil on the top of shroud on the passenger side of that shroud though. Any ideas? Just did a head gasket job in Jan.
Thanks.
Joe
noticed oily residue splattered around the pass side of the rad fan shroud, the ac drier canister, some hoses in that general area, and quite a bit pooling on the discharge ac hose fiting, where it connects on the compressor (the actual crimped aluminum end). Maybe it's the VVT device ? how can that oil get on the shroud top? No oil on the top of shroud on the passenger side of that shroud though. Any ideas? Just did a head gasket job in Jan.
Thanks.
Joe
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If the little o-ring that fits around the plunger in the cam cover is roached, it'll certainly give you some dribbles and slobbers on the face of the head and also around the #1 intake runner, but I doubt it could get as far as the fan shroud.
I kinda agree with JohnR: it's seemingly more like the front seal is leaking and the crank pulley is whipping it all over the place.
Clean the front of the block off as well as you can along with the underside of the hood and anywhere else you see that it's collected, then check fequently to see if you can tell where it originates.
Now, you say oily residue.
Is it actually oil, or is there the possibility that it's coolant? (smell, taste, find out for sure)
I kinda agree with JohnR: it's seemingly more like the front seal is leaking and the crank pulley is whipping it all over the place.
Clean the front of the block off as well as you can along with the underside of the hood and anywhere else you see that it's collected, then check fequently to see if you can tell where it originates.
Now, you say oily residue.
Is it actually oil, or is there the possibility that it's coolant? (smell, taste, find out for sure)
Hmmmm....OK, I looked again with a good light, and yes, it is oil, not coolant. Looks like spewing from crank seal and flinging up toward under the water pump spiting on the underneath the pump though, not on top of it at all.If the little o-ring that fits around the plunger in the cam cover is roached, it'll certainly give you some dribbles and slobbers on the face of the head and also around the #1 intake runner, but I doubt it could get as far as the fan shroud.
I kinda agree with JohnR: it's seemingly more like the front seal is leaking and the crank pulley is whipping it all over the place.
Clean the front of the block off as well as you can along with the underside of the hood and anywhere else you see that it's collected, then check frequently to see if you can tell where it originates.
Now, you say oily residue.
Is it actually oil, or is there the possibility that it's coolant? (smell, taste, find out for sure)
Also, I can do a check to eliminate partially being freon R12 (I added tracer dye when it was put in, but darn watch batteries are dead, gotta hunt them down, then put on those Star Wars glasses and look for fluorescence).
Tif, I would have replaced the o ring (s) on that plunger on the VVT if it came with the head kit. Probably not that, but that darn useless crank seal, new as of 2004.
Thanks guys.
Man, though, the ouil is flying around and depositing all the way up to the TOP of the shroud.....talk about quantum mechanics....LOL
Before you get into the front crank seal, check the o-ring at the base of the distributor clamp, where it fits into the boss in the block. I had a very similar condition to yours, and that was the source of the leak.
When my VVT was leaking (missing o-ring it turned out), the largest oil deposit was on the underside of the hood right above it. Any oil there?
Yup, plenty!! Interesting....I will also check that distributor base. I will do a check: clean the area first, then wrap a clean pc of alum foil around VVT so if it splats from there, it will be caught into the foil and leave a mess inside indicating that as a source. Sound good?When my VVT was leaking (missing o-ring it turned out), the largest oil deposit was on the underside of the hood right above it. Any oil there?
Joe
You might want to also check the timing cover/head bolts.
Shoot, Joe - if you've already got the UV light, just buy a bottle of oil tracer dye and dump it in the oil. Stuff works great for finding oil leaks, and it'll cost you five bucks.Also, I can do a check to eliminate partially being freon R12 (I added tracer dye when it was put in, but darn watch batteries are dead, gotta hunt them down, then put on those Star Wars glasses and look for fluorescence).
If it is the crank pulley, his results wouldn't be very good since the dye would be slung around everywhich way.Shoot, Joe - if you've already got the UV light, just buy a bottle of oil tracer dye and dump it in the oil. Stuff works great for finding oil leaks, and it'll cost you five bucks.
Should it be the crankseal doing this, inspect the pulley very carefully being sure there are no hairline cracks eating the seal up otherwise you'll find yourself in this same situation.
Sounds like the VVT plunger o-ring to me...
Had the same problem with my 86 Spider, oil on top of the shroud, underside of the hood near the VVT.
Duke
Had the same problem with my 86 Spider, oil on top of the shroud, underside of the hood near the VVT.
Duke
I thought of this. Yeah, I think NAPA is the only place that has the stuff, no?Shoot, Joe - if you've already got the UV light, just buy a bottle of oil tracer dye and dump it in the oil. Stuff works great for finding oil leaks, and it'll cost you five bucks.
And if it IS the crank seal, and spits it around, well, so much the better for the diagnosis, right? I would also expect to see some around other slowly leaky gaskets, like lower oil pan and area.....
Yeah, but did you just replace that like I did when I did the head gasket job this Jan? I cantsee that failing in just 11 months with just maybe 5000 miles .Sounds like the VVT plunger o-ring to me...
Had the same problem with my 86 Spider, oil on top of the shroud, underside of the hood near the VVT.
Duke
If this was the culprit, wouldnt the hairline cracks be on the crankshaft itself, and not the pulley? The pulley, I think, does not touch the seal, the shaft does....right?If it is the crank pulley, his results wouldn't be very good since the dye would be slung around everywhich way.
Should it be the crankseal doing this, inspect the pulley very carefully being sure there are no hairline cracks eating the seal up otherwise you'll find yourself in this same situation.
No, the pulley slides onto the crank and it mates with the seal, we seem to have issues with the crank pulleys cracking around the keyway (I've went through two pulleys before welding and modifying my last one). Any sharp edges on the snout of the pulley will eat that seal for breakfast, lunch, dinner and multiple snacks in between.If this was the culprit, wouldnt the hairline cracks be on the crankshaft itself, and not the pulley? The pulley, I think, does not touch the seal, the shaft does....right?
Can this Oring be replaced without pulling the cam-cover?Sounds like the VVT plunger o-ring to me...
Had the same problem with my 86 Spider, oil on top of the shroud, underside of the hood near the VVT.
Duke
Yes, just back out the allen bolts that hold the VVT housing on the valve cover and remove the copper plate that holds in the O ring.Can this Oring be replaced without pulling the cam-cover?
Heres a pic of the copper plate. In the pic it shows the O ring on the outside which is wrong it goes under it.
I found a new O ring at a Westlake hardware store just take the old one with you to match it up.
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Thanks Msiert,
I went out in the garage and checked mine. Just as I suspected my o-ring is missing. Any Idea how I can get the right size replacement without having the original as a comparison?
I went out in the garage and checked mine. Just as I suspected my o-ring is missing. Any Idea how I can get the right size replacement without having the original as a comparison?
Did you pull the VVT and take the copper plate off to check for it? The O-ring is sandwiched between the copper plate and the cam cover. The O-ring in the picture is installed wrong.
If it's not under the copper plate PM me your address and I'm mail you one of my spare ones.
If it's not under the copper plate PM me your address and I'm mail you one of my spare ones.
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