LS question

[JoshHefnerX]

Those of you with LS engines or have built them... I've pulled the trans out of my Camaro, for some clutch work. And an oil leak that was at the back of the engine.

Looks like the oil was coming from the bolts off the flywheel. I pulled the bolts out (eventually, one of them rounded off, that sucked) And the threads were wet as were the mating surfaces of the crank/flywheel. Oil had not been slung everywhere back there, it was all, down from there. I was reading that factory cranks were thru-drilled, and open to the crankcase. The bolts I pulled out had something in the threads, hard to tell.

What kind of sealant should be used here? Lots of threads on other sites mention locktite, but that's not necessarily a sealant...

pointers please.

 

[imiceman44]

Those of you with LS engines or have built them... I've pulled the trans out of my Camaro, for some clutch work. And an oil leak that was at the back of the engine.

Looks like the oil was coming from the bolts off the flywheel. I pulled the bolts out (eventually, one of them rounded off, that sucked) And the threads were wet as were the mating surfaces of the crank/flywheel. Oil had not been slung everywhere back there, it was all, down from there. I was reading that factory cranks were thru-drilled, and open to the crankcase. The bolts I pulled out had something in the threads, hard to tell.

What kind of sealant should be used here? Lots of threads on other sites mention locktite, but that's not necessarily a sealant...

pointers please.

So it's not the rear main seal?

 

[JoshHefnerX]

The seal has been replaced once - a few years ago. The seal was still soft and looked to be in good shape.

I'll see if I can get a couple of pics posted. Need to move them.

 

[Cucv_M1008]

Locktite is fine

 

[JoshHefnerX]

The oil was heavy between the flywheel and the crank surface. If it was 'just' the main seal, I'd have guessed it would be dry-ish. Not saying the seal isnt bad, it could be and I'll prob change it anyhow, but the oil in the threads and inbetween those 2 makes me think it was leaking past the bolts. It was more than an occasional drip.

 

[6872xtc]

Loctite should seal the bolts.
While you have the trans out, check the rear cover bolts, maybe think about just resealing it. Not that I could help much with that decision.

My LQ9 leaked because the rear cover bolts weren't tight anymore and the oil was running from up by the top bolts.
If i had known about that possibility when I installed the used engine, I would have saved myself a good amount of work.

I also replaced the "dog bone " which separates the oil going into and out of the oil filter. The original is plastic, the aftermarket has aluminum ones with O rings.