87 2.9L Oil Leak
 

Well I'm back again. Here recently my truck has begun leaking oil. And I mean a fair amount....1/2 quart a week or better. 87 2.9L V6 with the A4LD automatic transmission. So what I have basically is an oil pan where the rails are dry, the sides are dry, but the back of the pan and the bottom are wet. Same goes for the transmission. Sides are pretty dry, but the bottom is wet with engine oil. Enough that when I park, I leave a mark.

So what I have is engine oil dripping off the lowest points of the truck (starter mounting flange, and the bottom of the transmission) dripping off onto the ground and the exhaust crossover pipe. So my question is....do I have a rear main seal dying, or is there someplace else these things can leak? I've pulled the front cover of the transmission off, and checked, and it was dry inside. So I dunno what it is.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and have a great weekend.

The valve covers are a very common place to leak on the 2.9L. Felpro makes an expensive "blue" valve cover gasket that will stop the leaks. When you replace them, make sure you put a bead of RTV, where the intake meets the head.

Actually I re-read my post and realized I forgot to mention, I did use those very felpro gaskets you're speaking of when I replaced the heads. The valve covers aren't leaking, and both heads are dry. Down to the block is dirty from past oil leaking but its dry now.

I was wondering if maybe the seals on the distributor gave out and maybe I'm getting oil pushing up out of there and dripping down?

I cleaned the bottom of the transmission and the oil pan and all that today to see what I could find and let the truck run for about 10 minutes with no oil leak. I'm gonna fill it up full and try again tomorrow and see if anything developes.

try putting die in the oil. You can get it at Orileys , Napa, or any other parts store. That will help you find the leak. Sounds like a rear main to me though. although the front cover of the trany being dry looks like it might be something eles. Exhaust mannafolds maybe? GL
Scotty

Well I will have to look into that. Thanks. The manifolds don't appear to be wet, just where the oil keeps dripping on the crossover pipe.

How hard is it to change one of these seals? I mean I know I gotta pull the engine. Or is that the point when the rear main goes, and if you're gonna pull the motor, you might as well just rebuild the whole thing? I've got 160,000 on it and for being 18 years old, it still gets the factory spec'd fuel milage. :)

im not sure about that specific truck, but you shouldnt have to pull the engine. I never have before on other trucks. dont know if it is a two piece seal or a one piece. I think it is a one piece. if so you just have to move the tranny back, drop the flywheel, and there is the seal. Like I said though I have never done one on that specific truck, but someone will correct me if I am wrong. GL
Scotty