• The site migration is complete! Hopefully everything transferred properly from the multiple decades old software we were using before. If you notice any issues please let me know, thanks! Also, I'm still working on things like chatbox, etc so hopefully those will be working in the next week or two.

Oil Leak After *Attempting* to Replace Coolant Leak

C

CDAllenInc

New member
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.
 
Last edited:


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?
 
GTP89 said:
Missed a step how, you said you put everything back together right? and not changed a thing?
Click to expand...


Scottydoggs said:
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?
Click to expand...


QUICKSILVER462 said:
"MOTOR BOOT?" That's a good one, I've never herd that before.
Click to expand...



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.
 
Last edited:


Scottydoggs said:
fill the oil back up, start it up, let it sit and idle, watch for oil to hit the ground.
Click to expand...

Ya, did that earlier. Oil does intermittently leak (drip slowly) while parked, but leaks profoundly when driving. Did a couple of turns at 5-10 mph in a clean parking lot; car left a trail of oil behind.
 
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.
 
Oh, I forgot. I used Seafoam in the car after getting the oil changed Friday afternoon.

I poured a little in the crankcase and the remainder in the gas tank. Put ~100 miles on the car since then.

Could this be a problem area? I just talked to a friend of mine and he made mention of the seals going out.
 


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.
 
CDAllenInc said:
Oh, I forgot. I used Seafoam in the car after getting the oil changed Friday afternoon.

I poured a little in the crankcase and the remainder in the gas tank. Put ~100 miles on the car since then.

Could this be a problem area? I just talked to a friend of mine and he made mention of the seals going out.
Click to expand...
Drain it and put fresh oil in now!
Seafoam is great in the fuel tank or drawn through the upper intake via brake booster line but I'd never put it in my oil...
 
Scottydoggs said:
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.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the oil is all pissed out now. But I'll never do that again.

So if I did confuse the alternator bolts and did indeed "punch" a hole in the valve cover, how do I fix that?
 
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.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top