My engine has been leaking oil for a while now and Id like to fix it. It leaks down onto the cats and burns off. I though maybe the valve covers and half moon seals were leaking but it looks like a lot of oil.

if it just sits for a bit its not too much but my car has been sitting for over a month now and has a puddle. I don't know if its jsut taken this long for all the oil to seep out but it makes me wonder if it could be something else. Like i said it leaks down onto the cats right around the bellhousing. Not sure what it is from

any suggestions?

 

I know more knowledgable folks will chime in but from reading those half moons are a pretty common leak point. Have you cleaned off the engine and gone back to see where the leak originates from?

 

Yep, half moons and cover gaskets are MORE common than any other sinister thoughts.

The moons dry up and shrink, and the original gaskets were a paper type product.

The moons are still as they were, but the newer gaskets are "Gortex" and simply do not leak.

I ALWAYS smear Hi-Temp RTV on the moons prior to install, and the gaskets (new style) dry, BUT, all areas must be CLEAN, or leaks will follow real quick, and since it is such a simple job HAHA, you will love doing a second time, mmm.

There are alternatives to the moons out there, but I have never used them, and see no need. Yours are possibly the originals??, and are 29 years old, so the replacements should last that long again, and with the newer modern oils maybe longer??.

 

they are leaking but the culprit looks to be the idiot light?? I replaced the copper washer at the banjo which made the sending unit leak so i replaced that and now i think its causing the light to go out. Its hard to tell because its oil and so is the line underneath.
I dont know if its getting on this line or if that line is leaking as well.

Are the oil lines one piece or does the line going from the banjo in the center to the head on the right side screw on?

 

Also the leak isn't as bad as i thought, I forgot i cleaned the valley and it went back and ran through the bellhousing where the oil leak is so it looks the same color as the oil but the puddle is mostly cleaner and water

 

either way i wanna fix it, its embarassing and i hate the oil pressure being low

 

OK, one thing at a time.

The oil pipe at the rear of the cylider head is a "one piece" unit, and begins life at the oil filter housing, going TO the pedestal, and then 2 smaller diameter pipes to each cylinder head banjo. These pipes have been known to fail, but I have never seen one, either 6cyl or V12.

The oil light switch is just plain, IT LEAKS, and a simple switch from any parts mob will suffice here.

The oil gauge sender is a Jag (Smiths) unit, and it also LEAKS, and spews out the top where the terminal post enters the tinware.

The copper washers on the various banjo bolts rarely develop a leak, UNLESS, they have been disturbed and simply retightened, which is a no no in my opinion.

Be EXTREMELY careful if messing with the banjo bolts at the rear of each cylinder head, the threads in the cylinder head tappet block WILL STRIP with very little coaxing from you, and since room to work is non-existant, fun will be had.

 

Im not messing with those they don't seem to be leaking for now. I guess my question was really about that line because the light switch was leaking onto that so i couldn't tell if they were both leaking or just the light switch.

Hopefully that is all but unfortunately i will not know until ive got it all buttoned up again.

I've had to replace both air balance hoses , which although were old were working. I don't know how many times ive removed it along with the other things necessary to get int there but i could do it with my eyes closed by now..