Suddenly there is a noticeable engine oil leak coming from the front passenger side of the engine. Oil level has fallen below the hash marks on the dip stick. Refilled about a quart today and later noticed a six-inch long spot while idling.

No other issues. Plan to lift it up Monday morning after a weekend of little, if any, driving.

All suggestions welcome. When the dip stick is below the hash at the minimum level, how much oil is gone?

Would front main seal be a good guess? Oil pan gasket? Puzzled as to why it's on the passenger side of the engine. And so quick to develop.

 

Any recent trauma like underside scraping etc. ?!

 

Wow, all sorts of possibilities, but the oil filter is on the passenger side.......is it possible it has come loose? There is a pressure/sensor switch there too, which could have sprung a leak, I doubt the front crank seal would have developed such a sudden leak. I would estimate you are at least 2 quarts low if you are below the min mark. I wouldn't drive it at all until I had looked underneath and investigated further.

 

Leaking that fast, I suspect the dual external oil cooling connection, front of motor, just above the oil pan passenger side...#'s 10 and I suspect a loose #15.

 

The oil cooler has typical hose for the flex joints -- so could be a hose or crimp fitting. Don't mess with it ... if it lets go you will loose all the oil.

 

I'm trying to figure out the double post? I was typing and either the site or hotel internet glitched and it disappeared, so I started again, now both show up? Might have to ask Graham about it.

 

No, KG, not that I can think of.

 

Right now there is a steady drip, drip drip with engine running so I am towing it to a rack to look at Monday morning. All good suggestions I will pass on. Appreciate the diagram, too.

 

So the culprit was ----- (drum roll) a slightly loose engine oil filter. Phew. Back on the road again!

 

Diagnosis invoice in the mail


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That's a cheap fix.....driving time to make up now.