Help me diagnose this oil leak

[WizPorsche944]

Help me diagnose this oil leak.

I have a small dime size oil leak in my 944 I clean up about one every week. It is coming from the back of the engine right in the center near the starter. The strange thing is im never low on oil though. Would that be a Rear Main or something with the pan

[mikepellegrini]

You probably got it right - the rear main or the pan gasket. If the rear cam tower gasket was leaking, that could also show back there - it would be more on the passenger side of the car; the rear main seal would usu be in the center; the pan leak could be a bunch of different places.

I'd just put it on jackstands and take a look. But if it's only a couple drops, I wouldn't stress too hard reying to find it.

[2Tight]

If it gets on the exhaust and smokes it's usually the rear corner of the cam tower gasket, rear corners of the oilpan gasket, a rear cam cover seal, or lower balance shaft seal at the rear end of the housing. If the leak only seems to drip from the notch in the bellhousing it's your rear main. A minor rear main leak usually won't get to the clutch disc unless it gushes and gets flung around by the flywheel.

[elirentz]

What about if its dripping from the oil pres relief valve and oil pres sending unit? I'm thinking its the oil cooler housing gasket. I already replaced the op sending unit. Any thoughts?

[mattdavis11]

It would be far fetched to have evidence near the starter and the leak is in the proximity of the oil cooler housing. My guess is that the dip stick, or filler tube o-ring(s) is letting some oil by. Hope it's not the pan or rear main.

[WizPorsche944]

How hard is it to replace the rear Crank Seal ?

[mikepellegrini]

The rear main seal is probably the hardest $20 part you could ever hope to replace - 16-20 hours of labor: you have to remove the transaxle, the exhaust and the clutch and flywheel. Or you can go the other way and remove the engine.

Either way, it's probably the most time-consuming job there is on a 944.

So unless it's really a big problem, I'd wait till it was time to do the clutch (or if you happen to pull the engine for some other reason).

Here's the Clutch Replacement procedure at Clark's: http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/clutch-01.htm

[WizPorsche944]

Here is the thing.... Its Automatic

[WizPorsche944]

However I have been pondering the idea of a manual swap and this leak gets worse it may be the time to do it since everything is already apart.

[mikepellegrini]

Same idea. You've gotta pull off the torque converter and the flywheel.

I've never seen any threads about converting an auto to a manual but I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard - I assume the auto car still has the same bellhousing (with a spot for the clutch slave? - if not you'd have to change out that) and hopefully there would be the attachment points under the dash for the clutch pedal and clutch master. And a blocked port on the brake master cylinder for the hydraulic line to the clutch.

You'd have to get a new shift linkage and maybe a new/different center console and shifter.

But most of that stuff oughta be available from parts cars.

George B. would be the one to know for sure about compatibility.

[WizPorsche944]

Yeah there is a spot under the dash to mount up a pedal not sure about the slave cylinder though. Im been pondering this for awhile now and if this oil leak gets worse now seems like the perfect time.

[John_AZ]

Here is a link to AT to Man conversion posts.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=413881&highlight=Automatic+manual

John_AZ

[WizPorsche944]

Originally Posted by John_AZ

Here is a link to AT to Man conversion posts.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=413881&highlight=Automatic+manual

John_AZ

Thanks !