I've always had some oil leaks, but usually minor, and not uncommon with FEs. A little while ago, I switched to synthetic. Seems to be leaking worse now. I did hear about that and it now appears confirmed.

Finding the leaks aren't easy. I have a small one on the driver's side. It appears to be from the oil pressure line fitting on the top of the oil filter adapter. Oil from there is over the top of the adapter and has blown back making the slave cylinder and end of the clutch fork wet with oil.

The passenger side is worse. Oil all along the right frame. Oil pan is wet with oil from front of engine all the way back and there are drips on the bottom of the bellhousing. Starter motor is covered in oil. Might be a leak up top where the right rear block, intake, head all meet. Seems to be some oil mist all over bellhousing too.

I wiped down the pan, etc a few weeks ago, cleaned the garage floor, and it seemed sort of OK....just a small drip under the front of the engine after sitting for a few days. Now the puddle is larger and the whole pan is soaked again. Pan slopes down towards the rear of the car, and as oil shouldn't migrate forward, this indicates to me a leak up front, although it seems dry in around the timing cover. Probably just my oil pan, windage tray and two pan gaskets leaking here and there, and now worse since I switched to synthetic. Think I'll go back to dinosaur oil after I get this mess cleaned up. Damn cork gaskets.....I bet every pan bolt is loose by now.

Maybe this explains my clutch chatter too. I did remove the plugs in front of the lower part of the bellhousing/block plate and the flywheel was dry inside. Maybe centrifugal force keeps it dry. Most likely some oil got in there. Clutch doesn't slip, but chatters when taking off in first gear.

I've got a fair bit of work to do to fix the clutch, but before I get into that, I need to confirm where my oil leaks are. Anyone familiar with that dye stuff, or any other thoughts on tracing it down?

 

If there is oil on the front of the vibration dampener take the bolt out of the center of the vibration dampener and put a fair sized dab of black silicone on the end of the keyway and reinstall the bolt.
Oil pan leaks can be a pain but I use a double cork gasket. I glue 2 of them together with aerosol 3M trim cement, from Home Depot, and set them on the pan with the bolts in it to keep the gaskets aligned, then set the whole thing on a bench or on the clean and flat floor overnight so the set up tight. Use a hammer and carefully flatten any raised places in the pan rails. Then use some good silicone gasket goo and put a layer on the oil pan rails, set the gaskets on the rails and install, torque to specs, Re-torque again in a week.
If you do all this you should not have any more leaks. Oh, i also use the thick or doubled cork gaskets on my valve covers by 3M cementing them to the valve covers and using a light layer of grease or vasoline before assembling to the heads. They will last me about 10 years or more with no leaks and they don't stick to the castings.
Synthetic oil is the best lubricant available but if there's a way for it to escape, it will.
I only use teflon tape on my water and oil fitting's threads. I don't get leaks.

 

Intake and valve covers are big for leaking on FEs. When under way the air flow will push oil down & back.

Just offering up adding to what Mel posted.





John

 

Thanks guys. I never thought of that keyway leaking. Valve covers are a possibility even though they are cast. I've had them off twice for valve lash check/adj and probably ought to change them. I tried the rubber gaskets once, and they didn't work out so well, although I cna't remember why now.

I sort of suspect:

1/ right rear intake manifold gasket
2/ right rear valve cover gasket
3/ right front oil pan gasket
4/ and the oil pressure line at the filter adapter

No 4 sounds so simple, but I've already relaced the fittings and line ferule and no success yet.

Anyway, I thought that dye stuff would be helpful, but I wouldn't drive the car as oil gets blown back. Just let it run on the spot for a bit and check with a black light. I think some of the kits come with a black light flashlight. I'll have to check.

 

Get a mirror and with a light you can check the back of the engine pretty well.

I just went through this, the drivers side valve cover was the culprit, oil dripping off the cross member.

It must be an art to doing it right the first time, I haven't learned yet.





John

 

I don't know when Ford started using the silicone in the keyway but I had to replace the dampener on my Mark VIII and saw it there and wondered. Why? I cleaned it off and put it together clean and after a while noticed the the front of my engine was oily and dirty. Some time later I was studying the cam timing on the DOHC engine and noted the instruction about the silicone and the light bulb came on, I cleaned the front of my engine a did the silicone. No more oily dirt!
The intakes are a problem all of their own as even the aluminum ones are bulky and heavy, especially when going over the fenders. We would use the 3M trim cement to secure the corks and let it sit, with some weight on it over night, then put a glob of 3M in the corners, get some help and carefully place the intake.
Valve covers are just the thick ones or a pair, doubled and glued to the covers and greased on the sides facing the heads.
Proper torque is essential everywhere. I used to think my forearms were calibrated until I got tired of fixing leaks an started following the instructions from the really experienced guys at H-M. Once I started using the torque wrench on everything my leaks disappeared.
The ferrule on the oil pressure line can be replaced with a nylon one that will do the job of sealing. They are not always easy to find but are worth the hunt. Or you could carefully use some teflon tape on it and that should do the job there.

 

I think we could start a club...no lack of membership either.

Torque....at least my valve covers are cast, and that makes it a bit easier. A little difficult to get a torque wrench on the pan bolts, but those darn cork gaskets. They shrink overnight and I usually re-torque (mechanic's feel method) twice more after that.

Nylon ferule. I think part of it might be the plastic pressure tube. I did change everything from aluminum ferrule and fittings to brass, and it seems worse, so maybe something softer is the answer. I've good luck with the yellow teflon tape. I think I'll try it if I can't find a plastic ferrule.

I use either that Indian Head shellac (which has worked well for me on everyitng but FEs) or the Permatex Aviation Sealer....same sort of stuff....like molasses. I find it odd how it can leak as trying to remove the valve covers, or the oil pan, can be really tough to break them loose.

 

That is the reason for greasing the side towards the heads. The grease has always allowed a petty easy removal of the valve covers without severe sticking, for me at least.

 

John,

All i can add is I hate oil leaks and chasin them down !! and if you run Syn Oil..if there's a leak to be found ..It'll find it... I have not ties the Oil leak dye..As I'd be afraifd of what the hell it would find !!