Oil leak around the back of block and intake...

[Bryan Rose]

Well the rebuild went well all is good with the exception of a distributor that likes to leak oil, seems that the cap pulls oil up around the base and up to the plug wires, kind of wierd dont' ya think? The cap inside is clean , no oil but the outside is covered with it. I have checked the gasket at the base and it is not leaking there at all , but it seems to be coming from somewhere and I can not find it ,You can se oil coming down the shaft and running on to the intake and down the back of the block, and into my nice claen bilge, shit! I am baffled by this , can anyone shed some light here? Is a seal inside the distributor bad or what.
Bryan
[ September 03, 2003, 06:58 AM: Message edited by: Bryan Rose ]

[Moneypitt]

If the inside is clean, and the outside is "covered" with oil, I'd say the oil is not coming from the dist., but from somewhere else, like a valve cover gasket, or the pcv connection,(if used) at the back of the carb base. What type of breather(s) are you using....Anyway, don't replace the dist just yet, I can't see it as the problem......Moneypitt

[Thunderbutt]

I would check the cork gasket under the in-take, it might be spiting oil out to the dist. I don't see how, but maybe.

[HOSS]

If not from distributor gasket sounds like the intake. The end gaskets always leak. ONLY use RTV for the end gaskets. Windage would be responsible for the oil on the distributor. But check the breather as stated above.

[Bryan Rose]

Well I have been through this thing now over and over and can't seem to find the leak. My grommets on the valve covers are kind of loose and get some oil residue down the valve covers on both sides , a little not a lot , towards the back of the motor. the area that is suspect to me is the back of the intake where it meets the block. does not look like it could leak from there but you never know. All the oil seems to be running down from the top of the block around the bell housing and in to the bilge, this pisses me off because when the motor was out I had that bilge spottless and free from oil residue... not any more! So I told the engine builder about it and he said bring it by and we will do check see , He seems to think it could be the intake seal at the back and said a little brake cleaner and some more rtv and a putty knife to squeeze it in could fix the problem. lets hope so.
Also On the driver side I have a big breather and on the other side a PCV valve with lines going to the base plate of each carb if this helps... perhaps I need more ventilation ... what do you think.
Bryan

[HOSS]

Ventilation is fine. As I stated its more than likely the end gasket. Very common problem with Chevy motors. The correct way to fix the problem would be to remove the intake and seal both ends with a 1/4" bead of RTV on both ends. I also use RTV around water ports, heat risers(with block off plates installed), and shoulders of bolts.

[Bryan Rose]

thanks Hoss...
I think I am going to make the builder do this... after all he built it and put it together , right .
He did hoever do what you said , used Black RTV to make the gasket...

[HOSS]

I only use red. Black should do fine on the intake though.

[Infomaniac]

Oil galley plugs man. Behind the bell housing frown

[572Daytona]

Who did your engine work? I just had the same problem with oil leaking out of the back and front of my intake after getting it back from Pro Boat in Woodstock. I took it back and they resealed and reseated the intake and all is fine now.

[HOSS]

Thought of that Info but if that was the case he would lose so much oil and have damn near no oil pressure. It would deffinately be squirting out. But the bell housing would hold it in and therefore not be on the distributor rather just the bildge.
[ September 05, 2003, 06:08 AM: Message edited by: HOSS ]

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

I agree with hoss on this one. I have had the same problem all summer long and it the intake gasket. I finall got the rear of the gasket to seal up and now the front is leaking. You need a nice thick bead of silicone on the rear of the intake. I would use "GM" silicone because that shit is thick as hell. You can get it from any gm dealer. It is black.
396