Source of oil leak???

[D1A3]

I've been noticing some small amount of oil leaking on the floor from my '76 2.0 for the past year. What else is new right?

Well, I finally said enough is enough and crawled underneath and it looked like the oil was coming from my pushrod tubes. So, I went out and got new seals. I figured I coudl adjust the valves at the same time too.

Yesterday I jacked the car up to get started. When I jacked the back of the car up I noticed the oil was NOT coing from the tubes like previously thought. While it does in fact look like 2 or 3 tubes are leaking at the seals, the majority of the oil is coming from above them (both sides) and some of the tubes. In the last 24 hours of the rear being on jack stands, a LOT more oil leaked out, maybe 4 ounces total on the garage floor. Any ideas what is up there and where the leak coudl be comign from? I'm hoping it is coming from a common location and is accesible with the engine in. If I have to drop the engine to repair, is it better to try myself (reasonbably mechanically inclined) or have a local shop tackle it.

Also, anything else good to check/replace/upgrade if the engine has to be dropped?

Anyways, anyone have any ideas?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Above the tubes would be the valve covers with their associated gaskets. Also, most of the leaks on the top side of the engine seem to find a way to drip down onto the pushrod tubes eventually.... You generally look for leaks at the highest and furthest-forward place that is oily. Especially after you clean everything so you can notice fresh oil.

--DD

[D1A3]

Thanks Dave. I guess what I menat to say was that the valve covers do not appear to be leaking and the amount of oil is definitely not from the pushrod tubes. Oil seems to be coming from somewhere up on the engine case.

Is there anywhere that a common leak could find itself to both the left and right side of the case?

I also noticed from looking at all the Pelican tech articles that the oil pump may be located up there. Is that true? If so, maybe that is the culprit?

All of the seals and seams on the lower part of the engine appear tight and NOT leaking. Looking down on the engine from the top, no leaks are visible. So, I surmise that the leaks are coming from someplace under the engine tin and above the pushrod tubes. What is in that defined area that commonly leaks?

Thanks,
Jason

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Umm, nothing that I can think of! Well, unless you count fumble-fingered goofs like me pouring oil "around" the oil filler instead of "in" it...

The oil pump is down low on the case--it's pretty much at the bottom of the front of the motor, behind the fan shroud. You can have leaks like the main seal that get spread all over by the fan, and there are a few other places where you'll get oil up on top of the motor... (Distributor driveshaft, rocker box vent tubes/hoses, oil pressure sender, oil cooler seals.) There aren't very many places where you are talking about, so I think the oil may be coming from elsewhere.

The suggestion about cleaning it all up and looking for fresh oil is still valid.

--DD

[schosh]

Check your oil pressure sending unit. I once had a similar problem and the culprit turned out to be a small crack in the plastic insulationg materiel of the oil sender. It's very hard to see but you'd be suprised how much oil can seep out of there.
Bill