I have an oil leak that I tried to find for 4 hours the other day that I can not see. I was wondering if anyone had any hints to help me find this leak.

Here are what I saw. The leak is somewhere above the starter. When I was searching I took the starter out to see if I could get a better look but found nothing. I know this is a stab in the dark but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx,
Matty Sabs

 

valve cover gasket?

 

I'm not serious, I hope. Rear main seal, the plugs on the engine plate (oil gallery, cam plug).

 

while the plugs sound like another option, i doubt it... but the rear main seal is almost out of the question... he said it was coming from above his starter... usually a rear main seal would leak behing the oil pan, and have dribbles all over everything behind it... i could be wrong, but i wouldnt look into a new rear seal just yet... my thoughts would be the valve cover just because it seems to be the easiest and most accessable to where the starter would be... hell its only a few inches but the plug sounds like another option, but a lot less likely... see if you can reach down around the valve cover and feel the seams for any leaks... if not? clean up the area real good with foamy engine brite and if possible, you could use some high heat paint in a neon color like yellow or orange or light blue to temporarily guide your sights as to where to look... kinda hard to see an oil drip on a black engine block

 

sounds like the head gasket is leaking. It is a common problem. Do a search here for head gasket leak.

 

head gasket? arent head gasket leaks usually internal, and also usually coolant related? no flame intended, but im sure there would be a slightly less "serious" matter involved than a head gasket.... just seems so... final lol

 

Head gaskets leaking aren't uncommon in some 4.6 and 5.4s, usually they'll run down at the rear-most corners of the heads, in really bad cases they'll run along the bellhousing, almost looking like a leaking front pump seal.

 

a front pump seal? leaking oil?!?!?! the front pump seal keeps tranny fluid inside the transmission.... only an idiot would mistake oil for a front pump seal... if anything, the rear main seal... but that would be coming out of the bellhousing.... not along the ouside of it.. as for leaky head gaskets? maybe... not saying its not possible... but highly unlikely... and from my experience on these boards, most people say that the 4.2L gasket problems arent the head gasket, but the intake gasket... i still think it may just be a valve cover gasket, because those are far more prone to leak than a head gasket... at least, in my opinion... but the front pump seal? not a chance in hell...

 

Ok filthy, now that we've discussed how we don't have any idea where it's coming from, let's talk about how to find it. Air blowing around under and around the motor makes oil travel. It can thin out to the point you can't see it, migrate in a film somewhere else, and then recombine at an edge into a stream. I used to have a '66 Mooney with a leak and the oil movement made leaks even worse to find at 185MPH.

Anyway, the two methods I like are the powder method and UV dyes. The powder method involves powerwashing the engine, especially the block and heads up to the valve covers. Spraying the coils and injectors has potential hazards. Then drive it till it's dry, say 10 miles or so at highway speeds. Sprinkly poweder, everyone has a favorite, as long as it leaves a dry residue that oil will clearly stain, it'll work. The other is buy a bottle of UV oil dye at NAPA, go to Walmart and buy a cheap black light (under $20 + $6 for the dye). Pour the dye in and AT NIGHT turn on the black light and let the truck idle. If you have a $200 UV detection kit, the light is bright (well black bright) enough to work in a lit shop. Your cheapo light will work very well but only at night with the lights off. Don't loose a finger!

Doing this at idle in the garage is better in either case. Just be patient. In a few to 15 minutes, you'll see the oil and it'll be closer to the origin of the leak than if you were driving.

Good luck.

 

1bad97 you are way way off here.

yes the head gaskets leak on the inside and yes they can be coolant related. BUT on the 4.6 and 5.4 v-8's it is almost always on the outside and almost always oil only. we are talking round numbers here (odds)

there are hundreds of threads on this board starting the same way..."I have an oil leak and can't find it on the passenger side" 9.9 times out of 10 (On the v-8's) it is a leaky head gasket.

o.k. now to try and help find the leak. lay on the ground and look up at the starter area as you already have but this time have a very strong flashlight with you (Such as a 3 d cell mag lite) and look carefully because if it is the head gasket (Which a lot of them just "Weep") there will be no oil above the gasket line.

if there is a lot of oil above the gasket line start looking at the valve cover. the pcv is also on the pass side and if it is clogged or any of the hoses are bad it can spit a lot of oil on that side.

good luck and let us know what you find.

remember, what I have listed above are just the most common causes of leaks on these ford trucks. not all other types of engines and the once in a blue moon thing that you have seen in your life.

 

hmm.... never heard of a leaky head gasket causing oil down the outside.... must be the way fords place their oil channels... because in the chevys ive worked on, if the gasket blows... there is only one place it does it... and thats the coolant jacket... usually it blows between the coolant and oil channels, either that, or directly into the combustion chamber... never seen a leaky oil problem narrow down to a head gasket, but you guys are the Ford gurus, so ill take your word for it... but is it really that common?

 

It is extremely common on the modular engines. especially on the 5.4 like I said before there are hundreds of threads on the leaky head gasket problem. for instance my 99 5.4 has a leaky head gasket. it only weeps so nothing hits the ground my 100k esp is about to run out so I will be bringing it in soon to have the gaskets replaced.

Now I have had 2 chebies (cars) that had head gasket leaks and it was all coolant and it was all on the outside.

 

I had the gasket replaced under warranty and now it leaks again. The oil leaks out the back of the passenger head and on to the manifold and starter, it does not leave spot on the ground but it does smell of burnt oil. in 4k mile I don't need to add any oil between the changes.

FilthyFifty

go to the car wash and wash off all the oil under there with the high pressure wand the make a short drive and go and see if you can pinpoint the leak. What engine do you have? Ford does have a TSB and an updated head gasket to fix this problem.

1Bad97F150

The gasket is not blown. It just leaks where the oil passage that feeds the head from the block with oil is. the gasket did not seal allowing the oil to track along the head and leak.

 

well, i know my camaro blew out the #7 cyl... not sure of where it was (sold the damn thing to buy my truck LOL) but i know it was getting LOADS of oil into the crank case.... man, a 10 quart pan couldnt drain all the "oil" out when i did the change right before selling it... and no, i didnt pull a shadetree jackass mechanic job and not tell the guy... there was no way i could have done that anyways lol i arranged for it to be towed before he even bought it... havent heard from him since... hope the car wasnt TOO bad... but anywho.. so what needs to be done with a leaky head gasket if the oil drip is little? and i easily take the valve covers off and re torque the headbolts where its leaking?? or what? (not that i have one, just want the heads up before hand )

 

Here is a thread with some good info.
here is an invoice from that link with the parts used.