[i82much]

If i look at my engine from the outside, is there an external landmark that gives me an idea how far up the oil level goes? In other words, if I was trying to draw a line around the outside my oil pan to show where the oil level is inside the pan, where would that line be?

does it come up above the bottom lip of the rear main? chasing some oil leaks and trying to get an idea where the oil would be internally. milodon 7 quart, if it matters.

[Skip Fix]

I can tel you on my Canton full on the factory dipstick just covers the baffle tray.

[i82much]

thanks skip. attached is a pic of a canton pontiac pan. based on your comment, i would think it is only possible to have a leak from the rear main unless the engine is running? i don't see anywhere besides the drain plug that could leak with the engine off?

i have a decent leak at the back of my engine but it never leaks when running. kind of puzzled.

[i82much]

just bumping this with a simple question - is it possible for a pontiac v8 that is not overfilled with oil to leak oil from anywhere other than the drain plug? if the oil level is below the rear main, i do not see how?

[Elarson]

Not saying this is exactly your problem....but when the engine is running, the slinger on the back of the crank is designed to throw oil off and away from the seal. When you shut the engine off, the slinger quits working but there is still oil draining down all of the walls for awhile. So it might not be as simple as oil level in the pan.

Hope this expands the possibilities that you consider.....
Eric

[misterp266]

While trying to determine where to put an oil dipstick bung on my Milodon 7 qt pan, I put 7 qts of water in it and checked the distance from the pan rail. I did the same with a 6 qt factory pan. Both came out 4 inches down from the pan rail.

[PAUL K]

It's possible for oil to leak from a weld on the pan. Sadly I've seen this too many times on brand new expensive USA made oil pans.

[i82much]

thanks all. seems like the leak continues for weeks if i don't drive the car, but maybe it's just the initial leak expanding into the concrete and giving the illusion of a continued leak.

[Murf]

Originally Posted by i82much

thanks all. seems like the leak continues for weeks if i don't drive the car, but maybe it's just the initial leak expanding into the concrete and giving the illusion of a continued leak.

Yeah, It’s pretty hard to judge the size of a leak on an unsealed concrete floor. Maybe get a piece of hardboard or even sheetmetal where the leak is. It’ll give you an accurate idea of the size of the leak.

Murf

[i82much]

i cleaned up the oil spot and there is new oil on the floor. this is after three weeks of not driving the car.

i am not 100% certain, but it seems extremely unlikely to me that oil from driving three weeks ago is still showing up on my floor.

[Tom Vaught]

Sometimes you have a gap when a rear main seal was not trimmed properly.

I know that OMT fought this issue and eventually hung the engine from a cherry picker
at a severe angle and solved the rear pan leak issue.

Tom V.

[i82much]

i dunno, maybe the engine is tilted back far enough that the oil can get up over the bottom of the rear main. seems like it would have to be tilted pretty far.

one really crazy idea would be for me to actually crawl underneath my car and take a look instead of just posting on the internet asking stupid questions. but that sounds like a lot of work.

[AG]

Conjecture about what might be the issue is way more valuable than trying to actually find a root cause by looking at it.

[i82much]

Originally Posted by AG

Conjecture about what might be the issue is way more valuable than trying to actually find a root cause by looking at it.

I tell my wife this all the time.

[i82much]

In all seriousness it's helpful to have a visual understanding of where the oil level is so I can do some deductive reasoning. Thanks all.

Next step might be to rig up our Halloween smoke machine to the shop vac and see if I can't get some smoke to show me where the leak is.

[Pav8427]

One trick that might help. Carb clean the pan and bottom of block. Once dry spray some Right Guard deoderant over the area. Let it sit. Oil leak will be easy to spot over the residue left by the Right Guard

[i82much]

the uv dye did the trick. looks like a hairline crack in the bottom of the pan. gonna try jb weld for now and see if it holds.

[25stevem]

I would use silicone gasket maker to seal it up and then JB weld to protect the sealer after it sets.

Apply the gasket maker and spread it and pack it in the pit holes with your finger wet with soapy water.

Let this set up over night and then if need be trim it’s length and width back then over coat with the JB.

[i82much]

Originally Posted by 25stevem

I would use silicone gasket maker to seal it up and then JB weld to protect the sealer after it sets.

Apply the gasket maker and spread it and pack it in the pit holes with your finger wet with soapy water.

Let this set up over night and then if need be trim it’s length and width back then over coat with the JB.

sounds like a plan. I've always had good luck with ultra grey so I will try that unless someone has a better idea.

[PunchT37]

Most prolly a bad weld or a plug/plug gasket leak.