help in finding source of oil leak...

[robert walsh]

I have an oil leak, '83sc cab 3.0, it seems to begin in the area of the top of the piston located to the left rear of the car, the valve cover gasket looks like a potential problem as well as the hydrolic can tensioner cover gasket, not really sure at this point. Only drips a dime size dropplet every outing but the oil seems to end up on the heat exchanger (potential fire hazard there) and then burns off, turn the car off after a spirited run, open the engine cover, and you can see the oil smoke raising out of the engine compartment, not bellowing but enough to see. The car has the later 3.0 case found in late '83's and an ocassional drop is found on the center lower case, any hint's where to start, as i said the left rear heat exchanger is where it seems to end up, only a drop make it to the floor, oil consumption or leakin about 1k a qt., I really feel most is due to leaking and being blown by the the fan because the performance is dead on and no smoke no matter how hard i push it. Also leak down #'s are great. A fair amount does accumulate on the left heat exchanger, I wipe it off and 2 runs later it's back.