I have a 93 Flareside with a 5.0L. This weekend I developed an oil leak. I replaced the pan gasket last year, and thought maybe some bolts were loose. Cleaned off oil and checked and retorqued what bolts I thought might be leaking. Let it idle and ran at 2000 rpm for awhile to recheck for leaks, did not see any. Took for a drive and still leaking oil. It looks like maybe the dipstick tube may have a hole in it and is leaking and dripping right on my exhaust manifold and pipe, and down the engine block. I figure the oil pressure and from driving is forcing oil out a hole in the dipstick tube, and causing it to leak on the manifold. What do you guys think? Has this happened to anyone? Is the dipstick tube hard to replace? Smells like burning oil when ever I drive it now.
Any info would be appreciated.
Shiny

 

i would check your valve cover gasket, as i know both of mine on my 88 leak pretty good on the manifolds

 

I have a "88" w/a 460 and I have never experienced the problem you are describing. My dip stick tube has a threaded bung with an o ring to seal it. I would think that even if your tube had a hole in it there would not be enough pressure in the pan to push oil up to the point that it would spray on to the engine. If that were the case, in a sealed system, the dipstick would blow out every time you ran the engine up to temp. If you really think that your leak is from the dip stick (I am just guessing here) then I would check the PCV valve. It is possible that if the valve is stuck you could be building crank case pressure to the point that fluids are trying to find another way out.

 

My '86 5.0efi had a leak on the rear of the intake manifold, messed me up for a while until I lifted the upper plenum. A large chunk of gasket material was missing. It dripped all around the block, looking like a rear main seal.

 

My 93 had the same problem after I replaced the oil pan gasket. It was two simple steps. Had to replace the oil filler cap because it had a worn out gasket. Then, on my next oil change, they put a washer on the oil pan plug because there was a small leak there, too.

 

Finding leaks can be tough...

Make sure everything is as clean as can be. Get all the old oil and crud off as best you can.

If you can't find the leak, you can use a florescent die in the oil with a black light or similar and find the leak easier.

Most likely areas are the rear main seal, and the rear part of the intake manifold.

Try to go by height, look for the highest point of oil evidence because oil will run down and probably onto all kinds of other areas other then where the leak is actually coming from. I've got a little oil sneaking by the distributor in my 393 and it makes it all the way down to the drain plug on the oil pan. Drips on the ground from there.

 

Work on oil leak today, thought it might be the pan gasket, check it everything was good, steamed off, dry as a bone idling, drove a lilltle, leaks again. Found it this time. Turns out it was the dipstick tube after all. The combination of heat from exhaust manifold and rust, caused it to develop a hole down low near the engine block and right next to the exhuast maniford, so engine would squirt out the hole, down the block and on the exhaust. Picking up an aftermarket one tomorrow.
You fellas may want to keep an eye out for your dipstick tube developing the same problems.
Shiny

 

Glad to see you've found the problem, thanks for following up