Ideas on this oil leak?

[SoCal_Lynch]

Good morning. Looked at a car here in SoCal yesterday and it had a small sea of oil under it. I know there are multiple leak areas and will likely need to drop the engine to deal with all of them. The valve covers don’t look to have been updated which would need to be done but any ideas on the oil covering source in the picture above the valve covers?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[proporsche]

looks like your oil lines..but there is more take picture from the bottom of the engine

Ivan

[David Inc.]

I'd say oil lines as well but if they're in that poor of a condition they would only be the start, I'm sure.

[SoCal_Lynch]

Good morning and thank you for the fast responses.

Should I be thinking engine drop given what is pictured?

[walt]

If you can't locate the leak I would advise a partial engine drop to inspect the front of the engine. You should investigate further before considering a full drop. It seems something that catastrophic should be relatively easy to find.

[ClickClickBoom]

Occams Razor, simplest answer tends to be the correct one. Check the lines, clean with mineral spirits then recheck after starting. Then proceed from there. Flexible oil lines are not forever items, they age and leaking is a sign of failure. 5 years in a commercial aircraft, generally.

[proporsche]

Your main leak is--oil return tubes.The longer the car sits the bigger the oil spot will get.So get yourself new set of collapsible oil return tubes(from our host) get rid of these aluminium type.There is more oil leaks on this engine.Way too many shiny spots..the oil lines on the side and the tubes is a good start

Ivan

also replace the strainer plate gaskets too...

[911obgyn]

About 250-300$ in parts. And 3 days to do it yourself, cleaning, replacing oil tubes, triangle, valve covers, perhaps oilcooler clean and reseal, behind oil cooler weep, might as well spend on fuel lines and intake re seal and another couple of days might as well drop the motor while you are in there. Slippery slope or just oil tubes and a valve adjust with gaskets and oil change first, oil return tube also.

[SoCal_Lynch]

Thank you for the responses, I appreciate the information.