o ring sealant

[pocket-rocket]

Re: Do I have this infamous problem also??????

I have had a massive oil leak develop in the last few weeks, too much to live with and am in the process of replacing the oil pan gasket. Like everything in repairing this car, pulling off the oilpan has turned into a massive freaking job and to top it off I don't think this is the problem.

As I now have the tranny & engine mounts undone, the motor raised enough to get enough clearance from the engine cradle to drop the pan. I decided to change the back plugs while I could get at them. This has lead me to think maybe the pan gasket isn't the problem. The back # 3 & 5 plugs are soaked in oil. I don't think a pan leak would cause oil to get up this far? The entire bottom end, including the front of the block is coated in oil. Can this much of an oil leak come from the damn distributer hole??

I guess my question is, how does someone determine if the distributor hole is a source of the leak for sure?

If you have oil all over your plugs, the gaskets that go around the spark plug holes on the valve cover have gone bad. You should wash all of the oil off your engine with something like Simple Green, get it all cleaned up (before it creates more of a fire hazard then it already is), and check for where the new leak trails will start from. That will tell you where your leak is at. If you don't want to go pulling heads off of your engine (why not, it can be fun!) then pull the dist. plug up as far as you can, and work some silicone in under the lip, turn it a few times, to make sure you have a nice even bead going around with no voids, and bolt it back down.

[pocket-rocket]

how would you go about fixing it properly? mine does the same thing and if i'm gonna invest the time to fix it then i'm gonna do it right.

Pulling the heads, and getting a head gasket set from Felpro would be the technical way to do it right. This way all your gaskets from the heads on up would be brand new. Then while the heads are off, put a new o ring on the dist. plug, and some silicone for safe measure.

[Anonymous]

Re: Do I have this infamous problem also??????

I have had a massive oil leak develop in the last few weeks, too much to live with and am in the process of replacing the oil pan gasket. Like everything in repairing this car, pulling off the oilpan has turned into a massive freaking job and to top it off I don't think this is the problem.

As I now have the tranny & engine mounts undone, the motor raised enough to get enough clearance from the engine cradle to drop the pan. I decided to change the back plugs while I could get at them. This has lead me to think maybe the pan gasket isn't the problem. The back # 3 & 5 plugs are soaked in oil. I don't think a pan leak would cause oil to get up this far? The entire bottom end, including the front of the block is coated in oil. Can this much of an oil leak come from the damn distributer hole??

I guess my question is, how does someone determine if the distributor hole is a source of the leak for sure?

Yes oil can come out from there a lot, especially if you are running the motor to a high rpm, 5500+. The oiling system is pretty powerful on the 3.4, mine built pressure in like 2 cranks when I first primed it. Normally it takes 30sec of cranking to build pressure. However the only thing that can really cause oil to get there would be the lines that run behind the plenum, the line going form the front valve cover to the rear, where they merge together. I'd check this as well. But it is possible the O-ring is leaking enough oil to get it on the back valve cover. As for your plugs, you can get them from up top pretty easily without dissassembling anything.

[Dave's Z-34]

pull the dist. plug up as far as you can, and work some silicone in under the lip, turn it a few times, to make sure you have a nice even bead going around with no voids, and bolt it back down.

Ok, I'm going to sound like a dumbass here. How in the hell do you pull the distributer plug up? or to be more precise, how do I get access to this damn thing?

I'll have the pan back on tomorrow but after seeing the plugs like that I'm not real confident the leak is fixed. Can I pull the front cover off & the plenum to access the distributor hole? I'd be able to see if the oil line running behind the plenum is the problem also. I have a vacuum leak from behind there as well that I'd better be able to locate.

Pulling the heads off scares me, I'd rather not tackle that if at all possible.

[93Oldsdroptop]

Pulling the intake manifold and such is the easiest way to access the distributor hole. Loosen up the hold-down and it should be able to move freely. I would suggest that you cut a small notch in it to gain clearance because the cylinder head is right there and doesn't give you very much room.
You should then be able to fix your vacuum leak also.

Just take your time and it's not that bad. Just be sure to clean up the mating surfaces really good with Brakleen or the silicone won't hold up worth a damn.

Good luck and happy wrenching!

[Dave's Z-34]

Looking a little closer, I definitely have a have a fair bit of oil coming out between the heads. (under the throttle body and on top of the transmission) I tackled the alternator successfully a couple months ago so I guess this shouldn't be so tough.

I have a HVAC issue as the heater, air conditioning & cruise control is all messed up, hopefully I can figure this out with the back valve covers off. I think the vacuum leak from behind is causing this?? The valve covers and air intake (plenum) have to come off to get at this distributor hole anyways. Is there any helpful info that I should know of before tackling this? The valve cover and plenum gasket should be all I need for parts shouldn't I?

[Anonymous]

Should be all the parts yes, but trust me you will end up needing more.

There is a tab on the back head that covers the plug, I'd advise cutting that tab off with a hack saw, its aluminum so its easy, otherwise you have to pull the head. I wish I had a pic of this but I don't. Maybe Pocket rocket does....

[pocket-rocket]

I don't right now. If you really need me too, I can go out to the garage and take a pic. I wouldn't cut all of the tab off if you went this route, due to the fact that it has a bolt hole in it that is used by the lower intake to tighten down on the gasket for a coolant passage right there. That is why I never suggest it when I offer advice for a dist. o ring leak. Causing one leak when fixing another is kinda counter-productive IMO. I am also willing to put money that the reason there is oil on the rear plugs is from the rear valve cover gaskets, or the gasket between the cam carrier and the head. I have had leaks from the cam carrier to head gaskets before, this is how I know they can leak easy. They are thin metal with rubber around the outsides, kinda like the lower intake gaskets. I can take a pic of those as well if someone wants to see them for some strange reason. Or go to the gasket set thread because I posted pics of my new head gasket set that I got, and they are in there.

[Dave's Z-34]

I have had leaks from the cam carrier to head gaskets before, this is how I know they can leak easy. They are thin metal with rubber around the outsides,

I suppose an upper gasket set will be needed before I dive into this. Can I get to this cam carrier to head gasket with the rear valve cover off? I agree with you in that the rear valve cover gasket is leaking also.

[Anonymous]

IIRC that tab doesn't have a bolt hole on it...Maybe I didn't look at it close enough....

I would also say that it very well could be your valve cover to cam carrier gasket. They leak a lot do to them being held on, from the center too, by 3 or 4 SMALL bolts. My rear leaks too, and it has all but painted the back of my cam carrier/head yellow instead of silver

[pocket-rocket]

The only two upper end type of gasket sets I know of is the head gasket set ($112 or so from Advance), or the intake gasket set ($27 or so from Advance). You can not get to the cam carrier gasket without taking off the timing belt and the cam carriers, which will be tricky to get done without lifters trying to run amuck. For now, you could get the intake gasket set, replace all of the intake gaskets, take off the valve covers, and run some silicone around all of the gaskets on them (after cleaning the cover and gaskets up nice) and run some silicone around the dist. plug. Don't worry about messing up the valve cover gaskets, unless you use a jack hammer to remove parts of your engine. They are made of decent grade rubber, and can be reused if they aren't ripped. You could probably repair one with silicone if it was ripped though. I think I have heard of people going to dealers and getting a set of valve cover gaskets, but I have yet to do this because I got new ones in the head gasket set. If you think yours look ok, like I said in this post, I would run some silicone over them, since they tend to flatten out over time.

[pocket-rocket]

IIRC that tab doesn't have a bolt hole on it...Maybe I didn't look at it close enough....

You were saying? :P lol See the coolant passage right next to it that I was talking about? BTW, for those that don't know, that is with the head sitting on it's end. Just tilt your head 90* to the right, and that will make it look the way it sits on your engine.

[Dave's Z-34]

Thanks for the info, I've also discovered instructions on the front page of this website. Having a forum and people on it like you guys is yet another good reason to enjoy these cars.

Intake gasket set, silicone, beer and I should be good to go. Maybe after this I'll be brave enough to do the timing belt!!

[pocket-rocket]

Maybe after this I'll be brave enough to do the timing belt!!

Baby steps, young grasshopper, baby steps, lmao. The beer always helps though.

[Anonymous]

You were saying? :P lol See the coolant passage right next to it that I was talking about? BTW, for those that don't know, that is with the head sitting on it's end. Just tilt your head 90* to the right, and that will make it look the way it sits on your engine.

Isn't it funny when you try to insult me and fuck it up :P You might want to turn the head 90* to the left btw.

LOL yah but there is still room to cut a little off the tab, enough tho?