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LT1 oil leak...?

6224 Views 10 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  drmenard
They pretty much all leak a drip or two, but I'm fed up with it, and decided to deal with it properly.

I did the intake manifold a few month back, and it and the front of the engine are dry as a bone. I have a leak that despite numerous attempts, can't be pinned down.

So I'm dropping the car with my local pro this coming Monday to replace the rear main seal, the oil pan seal, and the filter adapter housing seal.

Just want some opinions on seals, brands and whatnot. At this point I'm trying to decide rubber or teflon for the rear main, then it's between National and Timken. For the others I'll probably just get the Victor Reinz or Felpro top choices.

Any other problem spots I should ask him to look at while he's that far in?
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depends where the oil is coming from with your leak but you have the front and rear main seals, the oil filter adapter as you stated but there are seals for the cam and optispark and also the valve cover gaskets that leak. i prefer to use whatever GM has because i get a discount but if not them ill use fel-pro brand

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i had the passenger valve cover leaking on the rear, down the block and onto the oil pan. all thats fixed now i just have a small drip on the rear main and ill eventually fix the trans cooler lines
I have had the rear main seal leak and have to be changed, stay with felpro... and oil filter area where the cooler lines are O ring and gasket should be changed... But I would not change the oil pan gasket... Before I change anything I'd make sure its leaking..
Oil cooler lines, rear intake seal, oil pressure sender, opti driveshaft... those are the top four leak sources on an LT1. Rear main seal, not often, and oil pan gasket... just about never. Clean the engine, add dye, run it, you will find the leak. Don't just start throwing money/parts at it.
Oil cooler lines, rear intake seal, oil pressure sender, opti driveshaft... those are the top four leak sources on an LT1. Rear main seal, not often, and oil pan gasket... just about never. Clean the engine, add dye, run it, you will find the leak. Don't just start throwing money/parts at it.
And don't forget the rear valve cover bolts loosening up and causing the gaskets to leak.

Tom
I too am having this issue but some of the issues have been resolved. The problems were a leaking oil cooler line, leaking Radiator where the oil cooler lines connected, Oil filter and a possible oil pan leak. I have had all the problems repaired except the oil pan but don't know where the oil could be coming from on the pan it will only start leaking after I shut the car off, it will never leak when its running...

Below is an old picture of this huge oil spot I took the picture at the end of my driveway, I backed the car into the driveway instead of pulling it in as it seems to leak faster when its backed in.
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I'd buy the dye also before I get that much work done.
my 95's oil pan rusted so bad the oil was leaking through the pan. As a temp repair I put some JB Weld over the rusty section and it held up fine. Now that the engine is out I have a new pan ready to go on. If you live in an area that gets snow you may want to check the pan for rust.
The front is all dry, valve covers are dry too. Think I'm going to get the rear main done, and see what it's doing after that. I'm in the rust belt, but it's a Georgia car, zero rust.
I had a rear main leak on my 94. It was not leaking a little. Once it started it leaked about 2 qts in 100 miles... Like a cloud of smoke in back of me when it hit the exhaust.. Is yours leaking out the inspection cover hole? If you take out that transmission to change the rear main seal, don't make the mistake of not changing the front seal in the transmission...
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