Noticed a leak

[SoCalSK8r]

So while I was changing my alternator I noticed I have some funk build up which was not seemingly fresh - it was more like a paste than a wet slurry.

Is this normal or should I be looking to tighten some bolts and possible replace gaskets?



Thanks!



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[jlex]

Do you have A/C in that car? Almost looks like oil from a leaky compressor was pulled in by the fan...

[T77911S]

that's coming in from the top, like down around the intake thru the fan shroud.
if have seen and even have a leak from the front of the engine and the oil is pulled in thru the fan. when it does that more of the engine under the shroud is covered in oil. your case looks like its new along with the cylinders and tin.

you can check the intake bolts but unless its a turbo I am not sure how anything would leak out of the intake.

check the injectors for fuel leaks. fuel could collect dirt but even then I think you would notice that problem long before this.

might even be a head to cylinder issue. check the studs on that cylinder.


might help to know what year. its hard to think of anything on that side above the shroud that could leak oil.

[GaryR]

Looks like intake gasket leaks to me, one cylinder a bit worse than the other.

[SoCalSK8r]

Thanks guys... the car is an 84 3.2, 60k miles and runs great.

The car did have AC, but these cylinder banks are on the opposite side.

I am also perplexed as I can't imagine why the intake gasket would have such a leak. It seems like it's old oil caked on there, and doesn't seem to be anything fuel related. I'll investigate further and report back.

[SoCalSK8r]

Well this is the passenger side....not as bad but still this is pretty odd...

[T77911S]

check for oil leaks around the cam oil lines, sensors on the front of the engine.

did you notice oil/dirt on the fan or the fan housing near the blade


what was happening on mine is the right cam line was leaking and the fan was pulling the oil from there into the engine. I was noticing oil/dirt around the fan housing and fan. I never removed my alt to look under the shroud, but then mine does not appear to have been leaking as long as yours

[GaryR]

I would pop the intake off and attend to it, but that's me. If the phenolic(?) spacers are old and/or not perfectly flat they don't seal well. I bought new spacers and gaskets and flat-plated (400# paper on a sheet of glass) the spacers to be sure they were perfect (they weren't out of the box).. perfect seal. This is all assuming nothing is leaking down from above of course.

[spyerx]

and in other news, water is wet!

Clean it up, see when it comes back, investigate, second intake or from the top.