I posted about my oil leak a while back, and I said that the mechanic was going to put my original oil pump back on to see if the oil leak went away - he is still going to try that, even though someone posted that it probably wouldn't make the leak stop.

Another thing he thought might be the problem is the aluminum block that goes under the crankshaft. Apparently, two bolts from the oil pan bolt into this block. If the threads aren't very good, and the oil pan bolts aren't able to get enough torque, could this be a source of the leak? That's what he's going to replace if the old oil pump doesn't stop the leak.

He did replace the head gasket and the oil pan gasket - I saw that it was leaking from the head gasket, and we thought that, since it only leaked after it was shut off, that the oil must be leaking out of the back of the oil pan where that 90 degree bend down is after the oil drains out of the engine when it's not running.

It isn't leaking very much - still up on full on the dipstick, but it is leaving a little puddle every time I shut it off, and therefore annoying after dropping the $$$$ last summer to get it fixed in the first place.

The rear seal retainer has its own bolts and is not held in by the oil pan. That line of thought is a rabbit trail that goes nowhere.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

I know that it's not held up by the oil pan, there's two bolts that hold that retainer. Two oil pan bolts do bolt into that retainer, correct? I think my mechanic's thinking is that these two bolts aren't able to be torqued enough because the threads in the retainer aren't very good (why he didn't replace it if it wasn't very good while it was apart is beyond me)

But, if that's going to lead nowhere, I'll tell him not to do anything with that and use some oil dye to find the real culprit.

What should the torque be on that seal block at the rear of the crank?

_________________
Excuse me, does this smell like chloroform to you?

No, the pan does not bolt into the seal retainer. There is a saddle in the rear of the pan that straddles the rear seal retainer but the pan bolts go into the skirt of the block. There are a couple or 3 pan bolts that go into the timing cover at the front of the engine, but not at the rear.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

The '62 FSM lists that torque spec at 30 lb-ft.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

There are two oil pan bolts that thread into the rear seal retainer. When I have the retainer out, I always "helicoil" the retainer, even if it doesn't need it.

63Dart
Your mechanic, needs to clean off the engine, and find out where the leak is, and do a proper repair. Not do a try this, try that, approach.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Hmmmm... didn't remember those. My apologies for any misinformation. That's what I get for not going out to the garage to take a look.

_________________
David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Make 100% sure that the rear of the valve cover is not leaking. It will leak out the back lower corner and be very hard to find. It will make you think the rear main is leaking too. DAMHIK.

_________________
Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

He did say that he found some oil leaking from the valve cover and he tightened it up some. It sure could still be leaking from there - I'll check it out.

Thanks for all of the words of wisdom - and that "try this, try that" approach has already gotten old - but at least I got free storage last winter if I have to find something positive about the leak still not getting fixed.

I checked around the top of the engine, and there's no oil that I can find. I didn't run it yet, but there should still be oil on the top of the engine dripping down if that's the culprit. I did snug down the valve cover a bit more to be sure it's good.

I was under the car with the mechanic last fall, and it sure looks like it's leaking from the back of the engine, but not out of the rear main seal from what I saw (I looked right at it). And it only leaked when it was shut off, which I thought was weird. Anyone else have that problem ever?