Overfilled oil, leaky engine?

[Guest bastaad525]

You know... I had an issue with this a lonnnnnnng time ago but I couldn't find the post, and at any rate, at the time I had many known leaks so I didn't think this had anything to do with it. Well, after I finished putting the new main bearings into the motor I had lost a lot of oil, so topped it off but was too tired to think and wasn't really careful, just dumped a full bottle in there, which has brought the level a bit high... maybe half a quart too high.

 

Now, I"m not positive, but it looks like I've still got some leaking, apparent at the bottom front of the tranny bellhousing. This would have to be either a leaky oil pan gasket, a leaky rear main seal, or a leak from inside the trans. Problem is, I just had the tranny removed and completely resealed, just changed the rear main, and of course just replaced the oil pan gasket (AGAIN!!) after finishing with the bearings. I did feel around the edges of the gasket and it was dry, and I know the rear main is new and was installed properly because I watched the guys do it.

 

Having actually gotten a really good look and the inside of the block and seen exactly where the dipstick sits, at the H mark the oil seems to be JUST below the level of the rear seal. Well I overfilled to where it's about... almost half an inch above the H mark.

 

So I'm assuming the rear seal is getting pretty well saturated... would this create a leak there?

 

More importantly, if I correct the issue of the overfilled oil, would the leak be likely to stop, or once the seal gets 'soaked' like that does that mean it's ruined?

[technicalninja]

Rear seal is inundated with oil during operation. 1/2 of #7 main bearing's oil pours into back side of seal before draining back into pan. Seal will not be damaged by oil; infact if it had no oil on it at all it would only last minutes. It is possible for the sides of the rear main cap to leak (but unlikely). Oil level should have no effect on oil leaks unless oil level is so high crank throws hit surface of oil in pan and froth it up (then oil will come out everywhere!).

On a funny note- Once had a female customer call about amount of oil to put in a Fiat Spyder. She had put in 18 quarts and "it still isn't full but the car is running really wierd and oil is leaking everywhere".

Congrats on your success.

Rick

[Afshin]

I had a leak from the same location and even after careful inspection could not tell if it was the oil pan by the bell housing or tranny... I got a fluorescent oil dye leak detector kit real cheap from Kragen auto (they carry them now), poured it in the engine oil and found out that it was the oil pan gasget leaking at the bell housing(you can use it in any oil, tranny...).

As already stated, the slight overfill of oil would not cause this. I also once had cheap brand new rear tranny seal leak 3 days after being installed (would pop off).

So unfortunately cheap part may fail immediately and if the seal was not lubricated before putting in it may fail right away. Anyways get the leak kit and it should eliminate the guess work, hopefully the seals are fine.