1986 3.2 Carrera oil leak

[vancouver86/911]

I am just about to drop my engine for the first time. I had a bit of trouble with a couple stubborn CV bolts yesterday but before I went to bed I prayed to the CV Bolt Gods to spare me their rath and hellfire. Apparently they do listen sometimes as I had better luck today after a night's soaking with WD40, grinding down my hex socket and lots of patiences. While I was under the car freezing my arse off today I took a couple pictures of my oil leaks. Can some oil leak experts tell me about these leaks and how to go about fixing them. The picture is taken from underneath looking towards the passenger's side of the engine. The driver's side of the engine is dry.

[James Brown]

Common leak area on the 3.0L is the oil idiot light sender and the oil breather gasket, both you should change when you pull the engine. I feel your pain!! the only good thing about working on cars in the cold is that you don't feel pain after the wrench slips and you bash your knuckels on some engine tin UNTIL your inside and they warm up!
could be oil cooler related but hopfully if it is the cooler, it's just the seals

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by James Brown

Common leak area on the 3.0L is the oil idiot light sender and the oil breather gasket, both you should change when you pull the engine. I feel your pain!! the only good thing about working on cars in the cold is that you don't feel pain after the wrench slips and you bash your knuckels on some engine tin UNTIL your inside and they warm up!
could be oil cooler related but hopfully if it is the cooler, it's just the seals

Please check my post of 11/29/2009.

Good luck,

Gerry

[kodioneill]

That may be the oil light sender as others have stated. I hope your not pulling the engine just for that or a breather gasket/hose leak.

[vancouver86/911]

Kodioneill,
I'm actually dropping the engine to change the clutch fork. I'm doing a clutch job as well. I also see that a four CV boot replacement is in order too. Oh ya, also the front trans seal. Oh ya, the valve cover gaskets too. And another thing, the clutch helper spring. And the plugs...you get the idea..seems to never end ha ha. It's all a good excuse to drink some beers, wrench a bit and avoid my neighbour from under the car who could talk a buzzard off a branch..

[chris.817]

Scott,

That's almost certainly the thermostat 0-ring. The idiot light sender is there too and may warrant replacement as well.

[Bill in OKC]

The bottom of my engine looks just like that. Thanks for saving me the trouble of taking a picture and now I know what I need to do. Thanks to all!

[Eagledriver]

Those look like slight leaks from the head gasket area. This has happened to me on a Carrera and now on my SC motor. Check for broken head studs when you remove the valve covers. If the head studs aren't broken you can re-torque them and keep driving. If the studs are broken or the leaking gets worse then you will have more work to do. I don't think these leaks are from the other stuff people have posted here. Those items cause oil to run down at the base of the cylinder not at the head.

-Andy

[Jeff Alton]

You will know right away when you have it out if the sensor or thermostat o ring are culprits, oil over the top at the flywheel end on the passenger side.

Could also be a leak between the head and the top of the cylinder. No gasket on a 3.2. Do what Eagledriver says above, pull the covers and take a look see......

Cheers

[vancouver86/911]

Eagledriver was right. Once I pulled the engine and looked on the top of the engine I found there were no leaks, just a very fine film of oil and dirt sitting on top of the breather cover and thermostat. This is suprising because when I went to replace the crankcase breather gasket I found there was none at all. So now I'm going to change the valve cover gaskets and check to see if any studs are loose or broken. I have read in the Bentley manual that these studs should be tightened to (if I am not mistaken) 11 fl/lbs and then a 90* turn. I have read on the forum to set the torque wrench to 24 ft/lbs however. Which is correct? I don't want to over tighten these and make matters worse.

[175K911]

When you do put it all back together don't forget to get 12 new CV bolts.

[Flat6pac]

The oil is from the top of the cylinder, the only thing it can be out there is a broken stud. Thermostat and oil light would be at the other end of the cylinder at the case.
Bruce

[Flat6pac]

The 86 has the large flange bolts using 8mm allen. Theyre no where near the problem of the 8 mm studs that use the 6mm allen...
Bruce

[P. DIONNE]

Two months after i replaced my clutch and fork on my 86 the thermostat o ring starting leaking. What a pain in the a** to change, do yourself a favor and spend the $2 dollars and change it while your engine is out. Good luck.

[vancouver86/911]

What is the torque setting to check/tighten the 3.2 head stud nuts?

[Flat6pac]

They shouldnt be retorqued as they are plenty tight. They torque in 2 steps, 15ft# and then 15ft+90 degrees but the studs are dilivar and cant take the retorque.
Bruce

[sancho]

I feel you pain I had the same problem, it looks like you have it covered, good luck.

[vancouver86/911]

If I have a broken head stud would it show in any way on my plugs? Here are pics of my plugs I pulled out this afternoon. They are 1-6 left to right.

[dshepp806]

doublecheck those rocker positions and expected dry areas....rocker walking will produce some leaks,..ask me how I know...

Best,

Doyle

[cliyde]

Subscribed. I have a very similar oil leak and am curious as to what you find out. I'll be diving into a valve adjustment here soon and have my fingers crossed it's not a broken headstud.