[SeanTX]

Hi guys and gals.

Ever since I installed my McLeod scatter shield and new tranny, I've had a mysterious oil leak. While I was in doing the tranny, I also replaced the rear main seal and the pilot bearing.

After the upgrade I started seeing oil on the bottom of the bell housing and the floor. I thought I might have goofed up the rear main, so I had another one put in. It still leaks. I am now seeing oil on the outside of the scatter shield even on the top. Seems like the oil is coming from elsewhere. I looked at the base of the intake and the valve covers (best I can with the engine in the car), but don't see any leaks there.

Are there any bolts that hold on the scatter shield which go into an oil resevoir? Perhaps I missed one.

Any suggestions?
It is a 302.

Thank you
-Sean

 

[sean67]

Sean,

Are you sure it is not the "S" shaped gasket at the back (rear of the engine)of the lower intake? These will move and leak too easily. Not one of Ford's best designs.

Sean

 

[Bob Cowan]

My guess would be the valve covers, but also consider the lifter valley seal at the intake manifold. Fords are notorious for that. Clean the back of the engine very well. Then take it for a drive. Sprinkle a little corn starch or baby powder around to locate the moisture.

 

[John Phillips]

Recent experience with my car leaking/using oil VERY bad, after I checked all the options mentioned above: oil was being forced out of the driver's side Edelbrock valve cover through a pinhole leak in the "valley" between two of the fins on the part of the cover that has the "Edelbrock" logo. Man it was hard to locate, as it only sprayed oil at revs, not at idle. Anyhow, maybe that'll help some; it mostly leaked down the rear of the bellhousing onto the floor when the car was at rest. Good luck!

 

[Wade Chamberlain]

If it's an EFI engine, check the PCV valve to make sure the rubber grommet is sealing adequately and that the hose is connected.

 

[Snake-4-U]

Do you have an oil line from the motor, into the cab, connected to an oil pressure gauge? Could it be leaking? Most are electric, with a sending unit. But not all. Just a thought since you said there wasn't an evident leak on the top end of the motor. How about the shifter cover? I guess oil could be blown by wind up towards the bell housing. I can't think of anything else that could go wrong swapping out a bell housing. The two events may not be connected after all! AHHHHH, just had a thought. The stock 5.0 heads have an EGR port on the back side of each head. When you pulled the motor, there would have been a tube connecting one head to the other. If you pulled off the tube, and forgot to plug the holes, they could be leaking, but only when running, and would be hard to see from above the motor. Just My $0.02, good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[SeanTX]

I love this forum. I'll check all of these and post my findings.

 

[Daytona]

Mine was leaking a little from one of the allen plugs in the oil filter relocation kit. The oil blew back and ended up dripping off the bell housing.

 

[LIPRIPPER]

Did your car leak oil before the 1st rear main seal replacement?

If it didn't, and you didn't mess with any top of the engine parts, your most likely source is where you have been recently, not where you haven't. Although anything is possible.

1. It may be possible that you gouged the crank, or the seal mating surface, I hope not, but its possible.

2. I remember somewhere in my reading that the flywheel bolts require a thread sealer to avoid leaks. Although I rember this being a hotly debated subject over on the corral at one time.
I don't know for sure. Anybody else hear of this?

3. Lastly, the rear main seal is kinda delicate, and needs to be installed carefully, and with a little lubrication around the rubber edges to avoid small tears or folding over of the rubber.

I hope you find the problem soon, because I HATE %&^$#%@ OIL LEAKS.

Post your solution when you get it.

Good Luck!

Jeff E.

[ November 06, 2002, 02:34 PM: Message edited by: J-MAN ]

 

[RacingRob]

I'm not sure where I read this, but maybe it'll make you feel better.
If someone notices your oil leak, say" That's not oil! That's the sweat from all this horsepower!"

RR

 

[Fang Bit]

DWWS

(New Acronym for: Ditto What Wade Said!)

 

[travissmithoh]

If you still can't find it, pick up one of these kits from Habor Freight for $20.

Leak Finder for Oil

You won't have to clean the engine to find it!!

 

[pan61]

Make sure your valve covers are not hitting the intake!! (Been there,done that)

 

[Shawn Whalen]

With my Mcleod shield and the Canton T type pan the shield and pan were very close! The lip on the pan had to be bent a tiny bit to clear. I would check your front of the pan clearance.

 

[Todd]

I had this exact same leak, it was leaking straight down to the bottom of the bellhousing. I too replaced the rear main seal, ultimately I discovered that it was the oil pan gasket.

If you can't see any leaks and it isn't the rear main seal, then 99% it is the oil pan, the other 1% is the cam plug, and the other 10% is something else.

 

[SeanTX]

I haven't had a chance to look yet, but there is oil on the top of the bell housing, not just the bottom. Is it possible a leak down low could blow oil up there?

 

[Erik W. Treves]

Hey when you find it...let me know because mine is leaking exactly like that!! I think mine is coming from the back side of the intake...

 

[Fang Bit]

Eric,
If it is leaking out the back of the intake, it is probably your PCV valve. I put my supercharger on and didn't vent the crank case. I blew the PCV valve out along with about 2 quarts of oil.

 

[Snake-4-U]

Just a quick post to keep this thread alive. SeanTX, did you find the leak?