Engine Vomits Oil at RPM

[MechEng]

So the thread title basically says it all but I'll provide as many details as I can.

At idle (about 800rpm with my current settings) the engine purrs along, is quite happy, and doesn't seem to have a care in the world. Oil pressure is decent and it'll idle for days.

But, if i let the engine get nice and warm, then take it up to 4000RPM and hold in there for a bit, the engine oil pressure gauge does rise a little but not a lot. However if I then get out and look I have a nice smattering of oil on the ground basically right below the Power Steering Pump.

Now, I know it's oil and not power steering fluid, just because I was paranoid, I put a piece of paper under the PS Pump and repeated the experiment, and the paper was bone dry but the floor once again covered. So I know it's oil.

At first I thought my PCV System might not be working, so I got a new PCV Valve and made sure the breather side was wide open. No dice, same problem.

A little background, I had to replace my water pump, in doing so I buggered up the original timing plate. I replaced both, but when I installed the timing plate I didn't quite get the gasket on the oil pan on right. But it seems to seal pretty well. This is one possible source of oil, but I've been dreading dropping the pan and trying to redo it because I've heard that's a bear with the engine in the car and I don't have the ability to pull it out.

I've also replaced the fuel pump which is on the same side as the leak. When I go under the car to survey what's wet this is what I find:

Bottom of the fuel pump has oil on it.

Lower Radiator Hose has oil on it.

Back side of the harmonic balancer does NOT have oil on it.

So that's what I got for ya. Any ideas on this? Or do I just need to suck it up and drop the pan and try to replace that gasket?

 

[Don C]

I would start with the simplest, remove the fuel pump, make sure both mating surfaces are clean and the gasket isn't damaged. This is also an area that gets a lot of oil spray from the chain and eccentric. You should be able to hold the carburetor open and watch, to see where it's coming from.

 

[goodnigh]

Check the oil filter's gasket.

mike

 

[72HCODE]

i had a never ending oil leak from my fuel pump area and had to load the entire area with a ton of sealant to make it stop. i must of tried 6 or seven different gasket types and manufacturers.

but you want to try and pin point where the oil is coming from.

Now there is a Oil gallery plug in that area above the fuel pump a buddy of mine had a massive leak from there caused by the plug being rusted out and not replaced when the engine was rebuilt.

perhaps it would be a good idea to stick a camera under the engine and point it at the area you suspect is leaking and see if you can catch it and pinpoint it.

the oil filter can also leak at the oring seal and spray oil back on the block.

that is one thing i hate about our cars the oil leaks that never seem to end. my rear seal leaks. my front seal leaks i get weeping leaks around the intake manifold from time to time.

just never ends.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Look carefully at the front of your intake manifold. My last engine had a chronic leak there and it would work it;s way down every seam and make it look like there were leaks everywhere.

Also front and rear seals leak as a result of overfilling and excessive crankcase pressure.

I am working with some parts to avoid this problem at higher rpm when pressure can build enough to push out the dipstick or blow out the pcv valve.

It will be a far from stock breather PCV valve system a relief valve (Peterson Valve)meant for a dry sump system, some inline oldsmobile style PCV valves and transdapt large twist in breathers. Only the Peterson valve is of any significant cost (about a hundred bucks) but it does require an additional hole in the valve covers.

I won't have mine done until I need to reset the valves and pull the valve covers, but I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Simple: worn valve guides.

Oil seepage from the top end of the dipstick tube, and the breather and PCV grommets is common from a worn engine.

 

[MechEng]

Thanks for the responses guys. Just to offer up a little more information here. The valve covers, dip stick, and PCV system are all immaculate, dry, and don't leak even slightly. The leak is coming from somewhere down lower. At this point I think it's either the oil pan, timing cover, or fuel pump. So I'll start with the fuel pump since that's the easiest.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Simple: worn valve guides.

Oil seepage from the top end of the dipstick tube, and the breather and PCV grommets is common from a worn engine.

I agree that on a stock engine this is the common culprit for oil control problems.

High performance cams with long duration and high compression will also cause the same problems in a high performance engine.

 

[Mesozoic]

Sounds like it's leaking from the oil pan gasket at the timing cover. Was it doing this before you replaced the water pump?

 

[MechEng]

Sounds like it's leaking from the oil pan gasket at the timing cover. Was it doing this before you replaced the water pump?

Don't know. When I got the car the coolant system was toast, no battery, and no keys. So I never even tried (I don't think it even had oil in it at that point)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mesozoic]

Since the timing cover isn't a huge deal, you might consider redoing it, but using something like Permatex Right Stuff for the oil pan flange (or Black RTV) to make sure it stays sealed. Sounds like you need to examine exactly where the oil is truly coming from, though.

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Thanks for the responses guys. Just to offer up a little more information here. The valve covers, dip stick, and PCV system are all immaculate, dry, and don't leak even slightly. The leak is coming from somewhere down lower. At this point I think it's either the oil pan, timing cover, or fuel pump. So I'll start with the fuel pump since that's the easiest.

Ok, my mistake. Your description of "vomiting" oil gave me te mental image of oil gurgling up from the dipstick.

 

[judge]

I'm voting on the fuel pump. I believe the leak is in a turbulent environment causing this spreading of debris. But keep in mind the lower etc cover seal is in the same environment. I would wrap the fuel pump with tissue and tape and retest. See if the covered tissue gets wet.

 

[Mesozoic]

Even better, you can use a GoPro our similar small format camera zip-tied and oriented in the right direction to actually SEE what's happening, should you choose to do so. I used this method to determine if my lower rad hose was getting sucked shut during hard launches!

 

[Totalled]

Crank seal on the dampner...

 

[MechEng]

Crank seal on the dampner...

Back of my balancer isn't getting any oil on it. Wouldn't that happen if the crank seal was bad?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jbojo]

Crank seal on the dampner...

Back of my balancer isn't getting any oil on it. Wouldn't that happen if the crank seal was bad?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just curious if you ever found the source of the leak?

 

[MechEng]

I actually still haven't found the leak. I purchased a new front seal and I'm going to take the timing cover back off and redo the fuel pump at the same time. Hopefully that'll take care of the issue. But I won't be able to until I get the car back from the shop

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk