Oil Leak Problems

[dottm]

Hi All,

I recently bought a 1997 ford ranger and it has some leaking oil. I am a bit of a novice with cars having previously only changed alternators/brakes/etc but i bought this truck with the intention of learning and understanding more.

When I got the car home I noticed the car was leaking the oil from the bottom of the bell housing. After doing some research I believed this was a rear main seal so over the weekend I dropped the transmission, took the clutch, flywheel etc off and replaced the main seal. I also replaced the oil pan gasket while I had the transmission off. A pretty big job well accomplished by a novice if I do say so myself! Bleeding the clutch slave was a bit of a nightmare due to the positioning of the master cylinder pointing upwards but I just took it out the firewall and tipped it upside down and bubbles started popping out the top.

So after doing all that I started her up an there is still an oil leak coming from the same place. Now as it was new oil it was much easier to trace (its been leaking for a while so the block is covered in oil) and I actually found it looks to be coming from the head gasket. I ran a compression check and I had no more than a 6psi difference between all cylinders.

Wehn i bought the car the old owner told me that he had just replaced the passenger side head gasket as there was a stuck valve in there. But the leak is coming from the drivers side head. I have attached some bad pics of the leak.

My questions are:

1. Is it a common issue on these trucks to get an oil leak here?
2. Wouldn't my compression check have shown an issue on one of the cylinders if the head gasket was damaged?
3. I am not losing coolant that I notice which I understand is another sign of head gasket failure.
4. I only plan to do the drivers side head as that is where the leak is from and passenger side was just done, is that an issue?
5. I have seen some people recommend buying pre-built heads and returning their core. Is this a better solution than taking the old one to be machined?
6. This is a question of opinion, but I estimate my costs will be around $500 in parts for the head machine, valves etc etc, I noticed on Oriley auto parts I can get a new long block for $1800. Would it be worth considering a new engine? http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/PTQ1/DFT5/02239.oap
7. I was advised by a friend to spray engine foam degreaser on the block and pressure wash it first to A) clean it up and B) pinpoint the oil leak location.

I had hoped/and read that the valve cover gasket can leak but the leak seems to be lower than that. I had also read it might be worth re-torquing the head bolts but it seems like a lot of work to get to that stage and not replace the gasket etc.

Again, Go easy on me, I really am a novice keen to learn here. I have never taken a head off and I am a bit worried about getting the timing wrong etc and doing more damage.

Any help/thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dottm]

MY pics didn't seem to attach. Trying again.

 

[BLOODBANE]

Holy huge pics BatMan. Back your camera up a bit so we can see what and where your at. Not trying to be a jerk, just hard to see with everything going on that close in your pics

 

[dottm]

Holy huge pics BatMan. Back your camera up a bit so we can see what and where your at. Not trying to be a jerk, just hard to see with everything going on that close in your pics

Sorry about that, I have scaled them down in the hope its easier to see. I have found an image of the back of the engine to show where I see the oil running down but I cannot pinpoint where it is coming from. I also took a video of the leak trying to capture the source:

https://youtu.be/6M5Wfh6ZYK0

Yesterday I tried to diagnose it some more so I took the valve covers off yesterday, re-torqued the head bolts and re-sealed the valve gaskets with some rtv. Put it back together again and found that the leak was just as bad. Since then I have done some more searching and it would appear its either one of two things; A) Lower intake manifold gasket or B) head gasket. I did do a compression test on the cylinders and it came back fine but I understand it could still leak oil and pass a compression test.

Obviously the easier fix would be the lower intake manifold gasket but I had some questions:

1. I have read that I should be losing coolant if it is the lower intake gasket but I am only losing oil. Is that plausible?
2. I can buy a lower intake manifold gasket for around $90 (few pro) and the head gasket set is not much more and includes the lower intake gasket. Can I buy the head gasket set and not use the head gaskets and if the first attempt doest fix it and I do need to pull the head can I re-use the Lower intake gasket etc? Or is it a one time use application type deal?
3. Is there anything other than a Lower intake or head gasket that could be causing that leak? I don't see any sensors etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying my best to learn here but not sure if I am on the right tracks?

 

[BlackBII]

can I re-use the Lower intake gasket etc? Or is it a one time use application type deal?

This kind of depends on the gasket material and how long it's in there; they like to adhere to the metal and then tear when you pull them off.

If the gasket is metal with rubber then it can likely be reused, however if it's damaged during removal it could leak.

RockAuto.com has the full metal gasket with rubber for $28, and they have the full kit excluding head gaskets for $38



Going off the video, that is a serious leak!

It appears to be running down the back of the block, like in your third picture.

My two guesses are the camshaft synchronizer/oil pump drive and the mating surface between the block and lower intake manifold, both are at the back of the block. I always use black silicone in this area to prevent leaks.

 

[dottm]

This kind of depends on the gasket material and how long it's in there; they like to adhere to the metal and then tear when you pull them off.

If the gasket is metal with rubber then it can likely be reused, however if it's damaged during removal it could leak.

RockAuto.com has the full metal gasket with rubber for $28, and they have the full kit excluding head gaskets for $38



Going off the video, that is a serious leak!

It appears to be running down the back of the block, like in your third picture.

My two guesses are the camshaft synchronizer/oil pump drive and the mating surface between the block and lower intake manifold, both are at the back of the block. I always use black silicone in this area to prevent leaks.

I think you may be on to something with the oil pump drive. When I was doing the rear main seal I decided to replace the oil pan gasket also and to get the oil pan off I disconnected the oil pump receiver and pick up from the block. I was careful to replace the drive propeller the correct way round but I am wondering if I have knocked it out at the other end? The leak is worse since I done the work but I put that down to fresh oil running smoother. Is it a case of just reseating the oil pump drive under the intake manifold or should I replace the part?

Just to confirm I am ordering the right gasket set it looks like this is the one I am after:

MAHLE ORIGINAL/VICTOR REINZ MIS19316 Molded Rubber Info
Master Set; Contains Intake and Valve Cover Gaskets Plus All Miscellaneous Gaskets And Seals Needed for Intake Installation. Contains Metal Carrier Intake Manifold Gasket

Is that correct? Do I need to be applying RTV to the gaskets also or are they fine without it apart from the two areas you mentioned?

When I bought the car they seller advised they had redone the passenger head because it had a stuck valve. So I am wondering if they perhaps didn't know/forgot to put the RTV seal in to seal the ends up. A few other symptoms I get is that the car struggle to start cold, it will start, die after a few seconds unless I keep the revs up, but if I start it up a second time its absolutely fine. I have also been getting codes about it being too lean in the bank etc.

I apologize for all the amateur questions, I am keen to learn which is why i bought an older truck but I am just struggling to track this oil leak due to the location.

 

[cbjou812]

I believe that I have that same leak. I haven't really followed it to find the source, I will be doing that tonight. Mine looks like it is leaking from the passenger's side, though. I was thinking head gasket, too. I have a ticking noise in the head and was going to take off the heads and get them done. I am hoping that the leak will be found by then.