1987 Ford Ranger oil leak

[Ranger007]

I have an 87 2.3 with an oil leak i cannot seem to find hope someone has some ideas as im about out.The leak is on the drivers side it appears to be coming out of the seam where the plate between the engine and bellhousing meet the amount of leaking seems to depend on where i drive if its mostly highway 500 mi /qt in town 150 I put some dye in the oil tonight and i can see it running down from the next to the top bolt in the housing along the seam then it gets between the plate and bellhousing and runs down the front and drips off the bottom after driving it comes out the holes in the bottom of the bellhousing but i think the air underneath blows it down the backside and it runs in the opening for the bleed screw for the clutch and out the bottom.I put a new oil seal in the rear of the crank with a wear sleeve new clutch flywheel p plate slave and pilot brg i really dont suspect that is the problem i just cant get a good look at the back of the engine to see where exactley is is coming from the only places i can think of is either the oil passage in the headgasket is lettng oil out of the back of the head or the valve cover is leaking i even put a new sending unit in any ideas thanks.

 

[tcranger]

most likely a valve cover gasket. get a rubber felpro one from the auto parts it should be about $20. you don't want it to do it to long if you have a manual trans your clutch will start slipping

 

[Ranger007]

Thanks i have been thinking about that did some more checking with it up in the air cant see that the valve cover is leaking but the followed the the dye right to the top of the block on the deck that sticks out slightly from the head just below the oil sender the sender isnt leaking i can see all of it with the black light so far it looks like it might be the head gasket im getting a little bigger mirror will check it further thanks for the advice