1996 850 GLT Oil Leak (Possible Head Gasket?)

Post by **abscate** » 04 May 2015, 18:40

Near the starter....geez! Maybe a loose oil gallery plug ?.?

Post by **erikv11** » 04 May 2015, 19:47

Is the oil pressure sender screwed in all the way? It is exactly in the area you are pointing out.

TBrown00 · Post by **TBrown00** » 05 May 2015, 02:40

abscate wrote:Near the starter....geez! Maybe a loose oil gallery plug ?.?

Yes, it definitely looks to be coming from behind the left side of the starter. I couldn't find any info searching on 850 gallery plugs. Any idea where it would be located?

erikv11 wrote:Is the oil pressure sender screwed in all the way? It is exactly in the area you are pointing out.

Pressure sender is secure - it is also below where the oil is coming from.

I have work all day tomorrow, but if I have time in the morning beforehand (Wednesday I will for sure), I'll start it up and see if I can observe the oil actually dripping out/leaking in real time. I don't want to have to pull the intake manifold, but it's getting to seem like that might be my best/only option to see exactly where it's coming from.

Post by **abscate** » 05 May 2015, 07:30

Make sure the oil pressure sender isn't cracked and spraying oil UP!!!!

Oil gallery is a real stretch - usually when these go you get no oil pressure to bearings and your engine detonates.

Post by **erikv11** » 05 May 2015, 09:24

There is a threaded plug toff to the right of the circled area, but that is way over under number 5. I agree check more carefully the oil pressure sender. Otherwise it has to be a hole in the block, that happens occasionally but usually not without something punching through catastrophically from the inside.

: side of the white block

Post by **abscate** » 05 May 2015, 10:55

Great picture. Erik

TBrown00 · Post by **TBrown00** » 07 May 2015, 02:39

abscate wrote:Make sure the oil pressure sender isn't cracked and spraying oil UP!!!!
...

erikv11 wrote:There is a threaded plug toff to the right of the circled area, but that is way over under number 5. I agree check more carefully the oil pressure sender. Otherwise it has to be a hole in the block, that happens occasionally but usually not without something punching through catastrophically from the inside.

Ran the engine today at idle while I watched the leaking area for about 10-15 minutes and wasn't able to find any extra pooling of oil or trails. I did notice there was a pool in the oil pan where the dipstick tube is inserted between the edge and where the gasket sits further down in. I cleaned this out with a rag and didn't see the pool reappear. However, after driving about 40 minutes (mostly freeway) it had reppeared. I'm now wondering if maybe it's leaking around the dipstick tube o-ring and then blowing up and all over the engine while driving and running back down?

I replaced the dipstick tube o-ring (had one laying around) and the tube seemed to fit back into the pan very securely. I drove for about 5 minutes at 35-50mph and the pool didn't reappear around the gasket. I'll report back in tomorrow after I drive to work (35 minutes freeway).

Thanks guys for your help on this issue so far! It's greatly appreciated.

Also, while I had the engine idling, I removed the oil filler cap just to see what kind of pressure/how much oil was reaching the top of the engine and a few drops actually splashed out the top. Is this normal?

Post by **rspi** » 07 May 2015, 06:12

Yes, that is normal. If the PCV IS clogged it will force oil out of the cap and leave oil all over the top of the engine under the "20 VALVES" spark plug cover.

1996 850 GLT Oil Leak (Possible Head Gasket?)

Re: 1996 850 GLT Oil Leak (Possible Head Gasket?)