Fluid Leak Under Car

[goodnigh]

So I find this spot of "oil" under the car which a few days later

turned into about a teaspoons worth. It was directly below the

power steering gear box so I assumed power steering fluid. After

the oily substance had set on the ground for a few hours it is difficult

for me to determine the difference between 10W30 engine oil and

power steering fluid. There was no spot on the ground below the oil

drain plug. Turned out to be a leaking oil pan drain plug. How does

engine oil find its way from the drain plug to the pitman arm where

it decides to drip?

mike

 

[mustang7173]

Mike,

I would say it has to be air turbulence while driving down the road.

mustang7173

 

[luxstang]

Are you sure it was the oil drain plug or was that simply the lowest point where it eventually had to flow to and drip off from?

I had an oil leak the year before last that was almost impossible to track until it turned out to be the seam in between the upper and lower part of the fuel pump.

If it was the oil drain plug it was possibly turbulence as stated above.

 

[will e]

I have the most trouble with my cast aluminum valve covers. How are you guys sealing those? What torque do you use?

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I have the most trouble with my cast aluminum valve covers. How are you guys sealing those? What torque do you use?

You could use my method

Compress the gasket evenly by tightening in stages to just barely touching; touching; compressing; crushing; mutilating; followed by cussing about how crappy cast aluminum valve covers seal.



Actual torque is fairly low at 90-100 inch pounds I believe. That is about 10 ft pounds.

The trick is to get just a bit of compression/deformation of the gasket evenly all around.

 

[Don C]

I use 5 foot pounds. I also glue the gasket to the valve covers to try to keep them from squeezing out, and use synthetic material gaskets. Finger tighten all of them first, and then start from the middle and work your way out. Go around them 2 or 3 times.

 

[kcmash]

I have the most trouble with my cast aluminum valve covers. How are you guys sealing those? What torque do you use?

You could use my method

Compress the gasket evenly by tightening in stages to just barely touching; touching; compressing; crushing; mutilating; followed by cussing about how crappy cast aluminum valve covers seal.



Are you using the Ford Boss valve covers, or something else? I have original Ford covers, but have not tried sealing them yet.

Actual torque is fairly low at 90-100 inch pounds I believe. That is about 10 ft pounds.

The trick is to get just a bit of compression/deformation of the gasket evenly all around.

 

[goodnigh]

Another place I looked was the head near cylinder 8, clean valve cover interface.

There is no other way oil could collect below the steering gear box unless a leak

from the gear box or valve cover, so I thought.

We tightened the oil drain plug and no more leak.

Who would have guessed?

mike