[longt]

I took the body off and the trans out of my T-bucket to try and find an oil leak. The back outside of the engine - valve covers, oil sender, distributor, amnifold are clean and dry. I have already replaced the rear main with an offset rear main and used a Fel-Pro one piece oil pan gasket.

I thought when the engine was running it looked like the leak was coming from the plug at the back end of the cam. With the trans out I really can't tell. I don't see any leak and the back of the engine is slightly damp. I put a flourescent dye in the oil but can't see too much of it on the back of the engine.

There is a pool of oil on the 'ledge' at the bottom of the block, the space between the back of the block and the machined surface to which the trans mounts. Probably drained there from the back of the engine. I guess it could still be the rear seal although I don't see any oil in the vicinity of the crank.

My question is, if I take the distributor out and use a tool to prime the engine with a drill might there be enough pressure to possibly reveal the leak? I'd have to buy one and I'm cheap

Thanks,

Bill

 

[DoubleVision]

A drill and primer will work nicely.If you could use a air drill with a slightly higher RPM will work as well. Your oil leak could be coming from the rear cam plug as well as the 3 main oil galley plugs above the cam plug.

 

[bondo]

I'm an old Heavy Equipment Mechanic,.. Who likes to mess around with SBCs in Boats,... That's why I like to hang out here.....

Anyways,.....
A Trick, or actually a Train of Thought taught to me by my Mentor many years ago applies to Your Problem.........

Let Gravity be your guide,..... Oil drips Down,.. Not Up....

Your Oi Leak is somewhere around, near, or At the Highest point you find the Oil.........
And,..... A Clean Looking oily spot is What you're looking for,... The Oil Leak will Wash the area Clean..... In other words,.. No Dirt, just Oil....

If you have Oil laying on Top of the Bellhousing Flange,.......... It Ain't anything ahead or under the Flywheel.......

Good Luck........

 

[longt]

I'm an old Heavy Equipment Mechanic,.. Who likes to mess around with SBCs in Boats,... That's why I like to hang out here.....

Anyways,.....
A Trick, or actually a Train of Thought taught to me by my Mentor many years ago applies to Your Problem.........

Let Gravity be your guide,..... Oil drips Down,.. Not Up....

Your Oi Leak is somewhere around, near, or At the Highest point you find the Oil.........
And,..... A Clean Looking oily spot is What you're looking for,... The Oil Leak will Wash the area Clean..... In other words,.. No Dirt, just Oil....

If you have Oil laying on Top of the Bellhousing Flange,.......... It Ain't anything ahead or under the Flywheel.......

Good Luck........

That is part of the problem. I can't see any oil leaks or drops on the back of the engine. I was hoping I would at least see residue from the flourescent dye on the back of the engine but no luck. There is a LITTLE bit of dye on the bottom of the housing under the cam plug which is why it could be from there. But I thought that I would see some dye around the plug too and didn't. The gallery plugs and the cam plug have sealant that I can see. If the rear seal leaks and flings oil from the crank it could hit the bottom of the cam housing also. That's why I thought of the primer trick.

Bill

 

[T-bucket23]

I would take a hard look at the back of the intake or the oil sender. These are very common leak areas. If the rubber intake gasket was used, replace it with a bead of RTV for the front and back gaskets.

 

[red65mustang]

sprinkle any "fine grain" powder on a cleaned motor.....baby powder, bath powder, whatever......shows the leak source "big time"