Thread: Oil Leak After *Attempting* to Replace Coolant Leak

My car has no more oil after attempting to replace the often faulty coolant elbow.

Here's what happened:

1. For the first time, I heard the engine "ticking" as though it was going to seize/throw a rod.
2. I immediately turned off the engine and reviewed the oil. No oil.
3. Had the car towed to the shop where I had the oil changed just three days ago. Filter is good. Drain plug is good and tight. Mechanic on site said the leak was coming from the "motor boot" (whatever that is).
4. Towed the car back to my house. I *did* catch this noise quite early. No damage to the engine.

Background:

1. Before last weekend I attempted to replace the coolant elbow some many of us are familiar with it failing. I found the job to be too hard and put everything back together after hardly getting past the alternator. I followed instructions provided by a couple of individuals from this site.

Question: I'm going to review all the bolts and see if everything is "tight" early tomorrow morning. Could I have made a misstep here?

Thanks for your reply.

Missed a step how, you said you put everything back together right? and not changed a thing?

check the oil filter sensor on the oil filter housing. they leak fast when they go bad.

i dont have a clue what a engine boot is, and i dont think your attempt at doing coolant elbows could cause a leak.


do you see oil hitting the ground? if so wheres a bout? post some pics if you can.

did you get the elbows changed?

Originally Posted by GTP89

Missed a step how, you said you put everything back together right? and not changed a thing?

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

check the oil filter sensor on the oil filter housing. they leak fast when they go bad.

i dont have a clue what a engine boot is, and i dont think your attempt at doing coolant elbows could cause a leak.


do you see oil hitting the ground? if so wheres a bout? post some pics if you can.

did you get the elbows changed?

Originally Posted by QUICKSILVER462

"MOTOR BOOT?" That's a good one, I've never herd that before.

Didn't change anything. Everything was put back. Maybe I didn't tighten everything????

I don't know what an "engine boot" is either. I thought the term was very sketchy. Sounds like mechanic BS.

No, I did not get the elbows changed. The little project got too difficult once I got past the alternator and to the alternator bracket (which was never removed).

Yes, oil is definitely leaking while the car is in motion.

fill the oil back up, start it up, let it sit and idle, watch for oil to hit the ground.

I bet there's now a hole in your valve cover from your alternator bolt..

sounds like the pressure sensor if its leaking on the pass side of the car, its lives in the oil filter housing, just past the filter, turn the wheels all the way to the left, then look at the filter from behind the pass side tire, its got a green plug on the end of it, if its leaking oil will leak from the plug end, and the plug will be coated with oil.

good news is its a 12 dollar part, and its easy to change.

There are two bolts in the rear of the alternator. If you swap them (they are two different lengths) when you reassemble and tighten them down, the longer bolt will bore into your valve cover "drilling" a hole in it...

not really, but your not supposed to drive with it in the oil for more then 200 miles, most just avoid that part. being your pissing oil id not worry about it so much now.

theres one bolt thats longer then the other for the alt, if you took them both out, mixed them up the long one can punch a hole in the back corner of the valve cover. but i think that would smoke a lot from oil hitting the rear exhaust manifold.

new valve cover. and put the bolts back the other way. you'll see it if it went through the cover just by looking at it form the top down.

its not to bad, take the 2 sensors off that live over the rear cover off, the front you need to take the coil bracket off. its a hour job or so first time out.

Did you flip flop the bolts and go oil drillin????

I still believe you have to loosen up the alternator bracket for clearance to remove the valve cover, so while you are there you might as well do the elbows.