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Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
#1270833
07/20/12 12:36 PM
07/20/12 12:36 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
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OP
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Out in Left Field, NY
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After break-in and for a few hundred miles on my new engine (my own build), it was completely dry. Not a drop on the floor! I was so happy. Now it's starting to leave quarter to half-dollar sized spots on the floor. I just don't understand why it would change suddenly.  I'm pretty sure it's coming from the rear main as it's pretty wet inside the bell housing. It looks like the oil is getting flung around inside and then dripping down the sides. I spent SO much time and care to get the rear main just right when I built the engine because I HATE oil leaks, and I heard how difficult it is to get one to not leak. The really frustrating thing is, the old engine I pulled out didn't leak at all, but it burned a quart in 200 miles... Is there anyone with a dry engine?? 
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: bobs66440]
#1270834
07/20/12 12:42 PM
07/20/12 12:42 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,453
So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,453
So Cal
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Troy was battling rear main seal issues that he solved. I know someone else that was having the same problem and solved his the same way too. Both were aftermarket stroker cranks. Read here: https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...part=1&vc=1
Last edited by autoxcuda; 07/20/12 12:53 PM.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: bobs66440]
#1270835
07/20/12 12:43 PM
07/20/12 12:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Me, so far so good. Bult the engine myself in 2005 and no leaks yet. Don't have alot mile though, maybe 1000. What kind of crank and retainer are you using? My 340 don't leak either...  All factory stuff used on my rebuilds.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1270836
07/20/12 12:50 PM
07/20/12 12:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
All factory stuff used on my rebuilds.
Including rope seals on the rear main ?
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: JohnRR]
#1270839
07/20/12 01:20 PM
07/20/12 01:20 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848
Memphis
HemiRick
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848
Memphis
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There's no oil on the concrete where my 451 lives, built in 06 and not many miles a thousand or 2 at most. Used the rubber rear seal that comes in a Felpro gasket set.
Take care,
Rick
68 Coronet R/T 440 & 68 Charger 528 Hemi,and 5 Challengers! 6 cyl, 318, 360, 383, 451
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1270840
07/20/12 01:43 PM
07/20/12 01:43 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
What kind of crank and retainer are you using?
.
It's a factory steel crank and 440Source main cap. I read through all the posts regarding this from the past (including all the warnings, etc) and double/triple checked everything to death. As I said, it was totally dry, and I thought I had it beat, but now it's leaking. It also appears to be seeping a little from the head gasket (Cometic MLS) on the driver's side. I spoke to their tech line and they said to try to re-torque the head.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: bobs66440]
#1270842
07/20/12 02:34 PM
07/20/12 02:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
Quote:
What kind of crank and retainer are you using?
.
It's a factory steel crank and 440Source main cap. I read through all the posts regarding this from the past (including all the warnings, etc) and double/triple checked everything to death. As I said, it was totally dry, and I thought I had it beat, but now it's leaking. It also appears to be seeping a little from the head gasket (Cometic MLS) on the driver's side. I spoke to their tech line and they said to try to re-torque the head.
Oil from the head should NOT be in the bellhousing but stranger things have happened. I'd be looking at the main seal first.
It's also interesting that you have oil leaking from a wedge head , the only place oil passes thru the headgasket is for the oil to the rockers and that would leak back into the valley ???? Are you sure it's not the valve cover leaking or your intake valley pan ?
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: JohnRR]
#1270843
07/20/12 02:42 PM
07/20/12 02:42 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,916
usa
lewtot184
master
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master
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,916
usa
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: JohnRR]
#1270844
07/20/12 02:54 PM
07/20/12 02:54 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What kind of crank and retainer are you using?
.
It's a factory steel crank and 440Source main cap. I read through all the posts regarding this from the past (including all the warnings, etc) and double/triple checked everything to death. As I said, it was totally dry, and I thought I had it beat, but now it's leaking. It also appears to be seeping a little from the head gasket (Cometic MLS) on the driver's side. I spoke to their tech line and they said to try to re-torque the head.
Oil from the head should NOT be in the bellhousing but stranger things have happened. I'd be looking at the main seal first.
I know the main leak isn't coming from the head. I just added that as an additional complaint (I know I'm whiny lol). I checked really good all around the valve cover and it's completely dry. Also checked the intake pan gasket and the oil pressure sending unit. It's definitely coming from the head gasket unfortunately. I did a search and it seems it's not that uncommon with the Cometics.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: bobs66440]
#1270845
07/20/12 03:45 PM
07/20/12 03:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What kind of crank and retainer are you using?
.
It's a factory steel crank and 440Source main cap. I read through all the posts regarding this from the past (including all the warnings, etc) and double/triple checked everything to death. As I said, it was totally dry, and I thought I had it beat, but now it's leaking. It also appears to be seeping a little from the head gasket (Cometic MLS) on the driver's side. I spoke to their tech line and they said to try to re-torque the head.
Oil from the head should NOT be in the bellhousing but stranger things have happened. I'd be looking at the main seal first.
I know the main leak isn't coming from the head. I just added that as an additional complaint (I know I'm whiny lol). I checked really good all around the valve cover and it's completely dry. Also checked the intake pan gasket and the oil pressure sending unit. It's definitely coming from the head gasket unfortunately. I did a search and it seems it's not that uncommon with the Cometics.
If it were a Hemi I could see it because there are oil drainbacks on the bottom corners.
Ok the stupid question , why did you use cometics on that engine ?
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: JohnRR]
#1270846
07/20/12 04:16 PM
07/20/12 04:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
top fuel
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
What kind of crank and retainer are you using?
.
It's a factory steel crank and 440Source main cap. I read through all the posts regarding this from the past (including all the warnings, etc) and double/triple checked everything to death. As I said, it was totally dry, and I thought I had it beat, but now it's leaking. It also appears to be seeping a little from the head gasket (Cometic MLS) on the driver's side. I spoke to their tech line and they said to try to re-torque the head.
Oil from the head should NOT be in the bellhousing but stranger things have happened. I'd be looking at the main seal first.
I know the main leak isn't coming from the head. I just added that as an additional complaint (I know I'm whiny lol). I checked really good all around the valve cover and it's completely dry. Also checked the intake pan gasket and the oil pressure sending unit. It's definitely coming from the head gasket unfortunately. I did a search and it seems it's not that uncommon with the Cometics.
If it were a Hemi I could see it because there are oil drainbacks on the bottom corners.
Ok the stupid question , why did you use cometics on that engine ?
Because they offered the thinnest gasket (.027" compressed) I needed for my build to get the compression ratio close to what I wanted. They work (supposedly) well with the aluminum heads and a bonus is they don't need to be re-torqued. Of course this situation may shoot that theory down...
Re-torquing the head would involve raising the engine a few inches to get the header off. Not a project I really want to tackle right now... 
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: hemi71x]
#1270850
07/20/12 06:25 PM
07/20/12 06:25 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,675
Akron, Ohio U.S.A.
roadhazard
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,675
Akron, Ohio U.S.A.
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"Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands" 448" in the Barracuda  and 440" in the Charger No leaks anywhere  Then again some think I have an unfair advantage What did you use to lubricate the crank & seal with?
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: roadhazard]
#1270853
07/20/12 07:15 PM
07/20/12 07:15 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
top fuel
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
"Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands"
448" in the Barracuda
and
440" in the Charger
No leaks anywhere Then again some think I have an unfair advantage
What did you use to lubricate the crank & seal with?
I used standard red grease, Valvoline or similar I think.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: bobs66440]
#1270854
07/20/12 07:26 PM
07/20/12 07:26 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,886
Lost and Spaced
bboogieart
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,886
Lost and Spaced
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none of my big blocks have leaked in years. Haven't run in years either.  Show of hand(?)
I have mechanical Aptitude.
I can screw up anything.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: JohnRR]
#1270855
07/20/12 07:27 PM
07/20/12 07:27 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
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OP
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Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
With that in mind and the origin of this engine if it truly is leaking past the head gasket you may not get it to stop , Cometics require a certain surface finish on both the head and the block to seal properly , following your build up I don't think I saw this taken into account? Did you put some type of spray sealer on the gasket?
If Cometic says to retorque then you're going to have to bite the bullet and do it .
I didn't use any sealer as per their instructions. The Cometics require a very fine grit finish to seal (50 Ra or finer). The Stealth heads were as they come new. I looked into it at the time and I remember their finish being compatible.The block was very smooth. Not sure of the Ra but it was what I would estimate a finish after sanding with 1000 grit or so. Definitely smoother than the heads.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: 72ls5fla]
#1270860
07/21/12 08:26 AM
07/21/12 08:26 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,436
Blair County,PA
62maxwgn
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,436
Blair County,PA
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Two,finished bird in 92,never leaked a drop,wagon a year ago,800 miles,same thing.Used O.E.M.seal's in both,use the correct stuff,do it right and you should not have a problem. 
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: bobs66440]
#1270864
07/21/12 12:45 PM
07/21/12 12:45 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,675
Akron, Ohio U.S.A.
roadhazard
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,675
Akron, Ohio U.S.A.
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Quote:
Quote:
"Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands"
448" in the Barracuda
and
440" in the Charger
No leaks anywhere Then again some think I have an unfair advantage
What did you use to lubricate the crank & seal with?
I used standard red grease, Valvoline or similar I think.
I can't say if that was your problem or not without inspecting the seal. However, I use and recommend Clevite Bearing Guard, Torco, Redline or equivalent liberally on the seal and crank.
My motto; Treat the seal as if it were a bearing.
It actually takes a long time for oil to migrate back to the rear seal area. Without plenty of lube it can cause a dry running condition that can damage the seal lip.
There are many areas that can also leak. Such as the base of the seal retainer not fitting properly on the block, retainer side seals, improper alignment of the two seal halves and I've seen the rear cam plugs weep oil that also look like a rear seal leak.
Hope you're able to track down exactly what the cause is
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: roadhazard]
#1270865
07/21/12 03:12 PM
07/21/12 03:12 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
top fuel
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
"Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands"
448" in the Barracuda
and
440" in the Charger
No leaks anywhere Then again some think I have an unfair advantage
What did you use to lubricate the crank & seal with?
I used standard red grease, Valvoline or similar I think.
I can't say if that was your problem or not without inspecting the seal. However, I use and recommend Clevite Bearing Guard, Torco, Redline or equivalent liberally on the seal and crank.
My motto; Treat the seal as if it were a bearing.
It actually takes a long time for oil to migrate back to the rear seal area. Without plenty of lube it can cause a dry running condition that can damage the seal lip.
There are many areas that can also leak. Such as the base of the seal retainer not fitting properly on the block, retainer side seals, improper alignment of the two seal halves and I've seen the rear cam plugs weep oil that also look like a rear seal leak.
Hope you're able to track down exactly what the cause is
I never thought of the cam plug. It's odd because after I shut it off and it sits a while, there's really no oil dripping from the rear main area. It's all up inside the bell housing and eventually drips down the sides. I just assumed that it's coming out of the rear seal and getting flung around. Now that I think of it, I've had a few rear mains leak and they have always dripped from the rear main area. I'll have to look closer. Thanks.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: Kern Dog]
#1270867
07/21/12 04:06 PM
07/21/12 04:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,610
Not2farfromNashville, TN
Rug_Trucker
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,610
Not2farfromNashville, TN
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Oil pressure sender is EZ to check.
"The only thing to do for triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
"NUNQUAM NON PARATUS!"
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: Kern Dog]
#1270868
07/21/12 06:19 PM
07/21/12 06:19 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Quote:
My first 440 leaked from the bellhousing area. I pulled the pan twice to replace the rear seal and side seals. I later found the problem to be the rear oil gallery plugs. They weren't tight enough!
That's a good thought also. The more I think about it, it almost seems like it needs to be coming from the top to get flung around by the flywheel like that.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: jcastle1]
#1270870
09/06/12 01:37 PM
09/06/12 01:37 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
bobs66440
OP
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,880
Out in Left Field, NY
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Just an update. It turns out that the leak is coming from the front of the trans (A-833) Probably from the front bearing retainer. While I'm glad it's not the engine, it's a leak nonetheless and I HATE leaks. The ironic thing is that I just had the previously non-leaking trans rebuilt ($800) due to shifting problems, and it turned out to be the shifter instead (my fault). So I spent $800 for an oil leak!  I can take it back and he would probably fix it no charge, but it's running and driving so good that I'm afraid to let him screw around with it...and I don't want to pull it myself... It looks like the fill hole is about even with the bottom of the retainer, which would explain why it leaks only when it's running and not while its sitting. The oil is probably splashing up and out. I wonder if it will slow down once the level gets down a little. But I don't want to run it low on fluid...crap.
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Re: Who Has a Big Block That DOESN'T Leak, Show of Hands
[Re: Commando1]
#1270874
09/07/12 10:16 AM
09/07/12 10:16 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,974
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
Quote:
Is there anyone with a dry engine??
Bueller?
Bueller..?
Bueller....?
 
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