YIKES!! 15 Qts. of oil to get home tonight Topic is solved

aaron1611 · Post by **aaron1611** » 16 Sep 2017, 18:30

My wife was driving the car this afternoon when my daughter noticed the warning light telling her low oil pressure and to shut off the engine. I went out to swap cars and took enough oil with me to add a quart every 3 miles and I made it home safely. So, it's pitch dark here but with a flashlight the timing belt is soaked and it's leaking around the base of the crankshaft sprocket or there abouts. I really have no idea until I dig in there tomorrow morning but is there anything particular that I need to focus on that could dump this much oil out in such a short amount of time? It's possible that this has been a small leak that suddenly got worse today but my driveway doesn't really show much pooling of oil. I'm just glad that the idiot light came on and that my daughter caught it in time!! She gets a movie and ice cream tonight!!

Post by **tryingbe** » 16 Sep 2017, 19:11

Sounds like either cam shaft seal or crank shaft seal is leaking. Your PCV system probably is clogged and blowby pushed the seal out.

You'll have to take the timing belt off. I'd check the PCV system, get oil OEM seals, and change the timing belt.

aaron1611 · Post by **aaron1611** » 16 Sep 2017, 20:13

I did a full PCV replace a couple of months ago. changed the oil/filter about a month ago. I changed the Siren Module 3 weeks ago and I didn't notice anything unusual. My indie shop is closed on Sundays but I'll tear it all down and see what I'm looking at. The timing belt was changed about 15K miles ago, the odom reads 119K currently.

Post by **tryingbe** » 16 Sep 2017, 20:36

If oil got on the rubber timing belt, the belt will start deteriorates

Post by **vtl** » 17 Sep 2017, 06:17

aaron1611 wrote: ↑16 Sep 2017, 20:13 I did a full PCV replace a couple of months ago. changed the oil/filter about a month ago.

It either was not done properly, or the seal was already almost pushed out just before PCV was done. Healthy PCV still allows pressure spikes when it switches from intake manifold to turbo inlet pipe, plus piston rings could be partially stuck and the sump sees lot more blow-by gases.

aaron1611 · Post by **aaron1611** » 17 Sep 2017, 09:25

So, got the timing belt cover off, front passenger tire off and sprayed brake clean everywhere and it appears that the leak is from the crankshaft seal. I see how to align the timing belt to the notches on the cover and making sure it aligns down below at the crankshaft. It looks straightforward to remove timing belt and get the pulley rental tool at the auto store but is it necessary to order that special tool to lock the cam shaft in place? I've read where you can make one yourself but as long as neither cam moves I should be good?

aaron1611 · Post by **aaron1611** » 17 Sep 2017, 13:42

got serpentine belt off and bottom pulley but i sprayed so much brake clean the crankshaft sprocket looks nice and dry which makes me doubt myself that this indeed was the leak. will get the timing belt off and sprocket and check back.

Georgeandkira · Post by **Georgeandkira** » 17 Sep 2017, 14:24

Regarding the cam locking tool.....I've read posts claiming both TOTALLY necessary and COMPLETELY unnecessary.
I was able to use stout string to tie my camshaft sprockets in an immobile way because I saw that there were holes in the sprocket at usable 9 and 3 o'clock positions. "Your sprockets may vary".

Post by **jonesg** » 17 Sep 2017, 14:51

Sure you can lock the sprockets easily but the cams aren't locked or keyed to the sprockets, when torquing the cam sprocket center bolt the camshaft can and will turn. That center bolt is around 80 foot lbs and it will slip unless locked at the rear of camshaft.

Amazon has cheap knockoff locking tools that get decent feedback.

aaron1611 · Post by **aaron1611** » 17 Sep 2017, 15:49

i have it all apart oil pump off but i have a question, is there supposed to be play in that center ring with the teeth on the pump? there is quite bit of movement with that center sleeve. Ideally, would like to confirm this prior to putting it all back together. ALSO, the crank seal was intact and had not popped out. Green gasket looked rough.