Help!!!! I have an oil leak and I am looking for some advice. Pics inside.

[415pb]

I am new to the 914 scene. I obtained my 914 in February and I have been having a blast since. I recently acquired a new oil leak. When I drive my 914 around and then park it, it leaks quite a bit of oil from the center of the transmission. It appears to be coming out of the small cut-out in between the engine and the transmission, I belive this is where you can see your flywheel. The oil appears to roll down towards the center of the tranny, then drips onto my garage floor. It also rolls down toward the oil sump. The attached pics have, where I believe, the oil to be coming from (black arrow) and where the drips are going to (blue arrow). Please, any help will be greatly appreciated.


Thank you,
Rod
_________________________________
1974 2.0 D-Jet

[johnboy914]

that looks like a classic rear main seal leak. There is another place it could be coming from, the oil galley plug, but odds are it is the main seal. Be sure to smell it to make sure that it is motor oil and not gear oil. Gear oil smells extra foul. I believe there are some good how to's on main seal replacement to be found by doing a search on this BBS for
'main seal leak'

[415pb]

Thanks, I ordered the parts on wednesday to do the main seal. But now I am trying to figure out why I have low compression in my #3 cylinder. That way I can do it all in one shot........
Thanks again,
Rod

[SteveStromberg]

Your # Ex valve is probaly seen better days, How many mile on the motor ? When was the Last Valve Adjustment? Steve

[415pb]

Steve, I just adjusted the valves three months ago and then again before I did a compression test the other day. My #3 cylinder shot up from 100 to 125 after squirting oil inside the cylinder. The odometer reads 78000 and some change. The guy who owned it before me said that the odometer hasn't worked for quite some time. But the odometer works just fine for me.

Thanks,
Rod

[nutzforporsche]

I have the same darn leak,..does anyone know "link" to where that part might be in here at Pelican?

Thanks!

[415pb]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/9144/por_9144_clutch_main.htm

Toward the bottom of page 2. I purchased the flywheel o-ring as well. I'm gonna drop the engine this weekend, I'll let you know how it turns out..

Rod

[jabb]

Just an FYI you can pull the Tranny without dropping the motor

[sammyg2]

You can start replacing parts and hope to get lucky, but oil leaks on these things are a real be-otch because the air makes the oil go all over the place. Oil can travel from the front to the back, from the side to the back or front, etc.
The best way to find the leak is to clean everything as much as possible then clean it again. Add a little UV dye into the oil, drive it a few miles, then use a black light to find the leak. it will show up big time and you won't be guessing any more. Now if it's coming from behind the flywheel there are still a couple of sources but at least you will have it narrowed down to a manageable area.
They sell the kits with the dye and light at Pep Boys and most auto type stores.
The stuff is designed to find automotive AC leaks but it works on engines too.

[Bleyseng]

Besides the rear main seal there are the case plugs which can come loose and leak. Check those carefully too when you have the flywheel off.

Geoff

[415pb]

Thanks guys, I'm pulling the engine this weekend to change the rear main seal and to change the rings on #3....I will check the case plugs as well. How about any seals on the tranny?

Thanks again,
Rod

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You'd know if it were a tranny input shaft seal leak. It'd stink like sulphur (think rotten eggs, but milder).

--DD

[mike95125]

(7M3 or 4)
I have the same leak. I just pulled my tranny, and flywheel to find a beautiful seal staring back at me. It could be the cam shaft plug. I hear those things go often.
Are you gonna ring the whole engine, or just #3?

[415pb]

Well, I dont know. Is it wise to re-ring all the pistons or could I just re-ring #3 because of the low compression? I have good compression in all the other cylinders, but low (100) in the number three, which jumps up to 125 when I squirt oil in the cylinder.

Thanks,
Rod