Oil leaks!!!!!!!!!!!

[badmix]

Specs: 1984 K5 , 305cid , 700r , 150k odo.

I think its time to start hunting down some oil leaks. Im actually dripping and leaving my mark where ever I park. The whole under carriage has been oil covered for some time now. I really cant tell where its coming from but Im getting the "drip" coming from the Trans Bell housing and ive oil dripping from the Starter.

One place Im guessing is the oil pan. One of my questions is this;

1) What do I have to do to remove oil pan? Remove bell housing? It looks straight forward but havent popped the bottom of motor open before.

Also;

2) With the bellhousing removed and oil pan off, will I be able to tell if the rear main is leaking? or does that require trans to be removed?

Ive already redid the valve cover gasket so I know its not coming from that high up. I havent checked the rear intake manifold yet but plan to climb around and check that.

3)If I were to replace the oil pan with a better one, who do ya'll recommend?

4) Will I have a 2 piece rear main or 1 piece. Can I replace this seal without removing trans?

Anyways, any suggestions or comments are always welcomed.

 

[diesel4me]

Up here,rusted oil pans are a frequent source of oil leaks..doubt yours is rotted being in Florida though??..you should be able to take the oil pan off without removing the bell housing,the dust cover under the torque converter will have to come off though,and you'll probably have to jack the engine up off its mounts after taking the thru-bolt out and put wood blocks between the motor mount pads and the frame brakets.............................................. (sometimes only the drivers side needs this done,and you can get it off without doing both sides)...let the axle hang free ,jack it up by the frame and use jack stands to support the truck,so you'll have enough room to get the pan out of there.................................................................................................getting the pan back on can be a challenge,the timing cover wll be a pain in the butt,and most likely you'll have to either trim back the lips where the "smile" rubber seal goes,thats my method,rather than take the cover off and battle with the harmonic balancer and getting the timing cover back on again...................................................................................................Most aftermarket oil pans are made by Spectra,they seem to be decent,though probably made in Tiwan or China most likely...Jegs and Summit may offer some aftermarket alternatives too,or you could go with a Moroso or Mildoon one (more $$$$$)...Before yanking the pan off though,I'd be 100% sure the leaks aren't coming from the intake where it seals on the lifter galley in the rear,or the oil sending unit back there aint leaking first--valve covers often drip back there and fool you into thinking the rear main seal is toast too...I think there is a freeze plug in the rear of the block too,that seals off the rear end of the camshaft--rare for one to leak though..ditto for the oil galley plugs back there behind the flywheel...those would be a pain to replace!--you'd have to pull the tranny and flywheel off...

 

[Fordum]

I've never pulled the oil pan on a blazer, but if there is room below it for it to clear the bottom of the engine, then its just a matter of taking off the bolts and dropping it down.
The actual bell housing is not removable without pulling the engine or transmission. Its the whole piece between the engine and transmission.
But, you should have the cover on the bottom of it that is removable. If you pull it, then you can see if the rear main is leaking.

However you are getting way ahead of yourself here. Unless you just want the experience, don't start pulling off parts to see if you strike oil.

First, clean off the oil you have down to dry metal, then look for the leak. We are talking Gunk and a water hose at the minimum, or better yet a mild pressure washer.
Once you get the oil off, then parking it on clean concrete or a large sheet of paper will get you started.
When you find out where the leak first comes from, then you know where to start looking.
Right now, its going to be dripping from everywhere.

Some of the do it yourself carwashes with the pressure hose have a specific bay that they will let you clean engines and things. Usually its one with just the hose and a dirt floor and no walls.

Others you have to sneak in about midnight, spray everything off and scat before you are caught.

Not that I would do anything like that, of course.

Be warned that if you clean the top part of the engine, you can force water into the ignition and leave you sitting there when the owner comes around.

Fortunately, in that case, it was not me, but I knew the owner and he was cool with it as long as you sprayed down the walls afterward to get the grease off.

 

[diesel4me]

Forgot to add that up till 1986,GM had two peice rear main seals...starting in '86 they went to a one peice seal like a wheel bearing seal--those you ust pull the tranny & flywheel to replace--the old 2 peice rope seals can be shoehorned in after removing just the oil pan and the rear main bearing cap...

 

[Jester1]

Dont know if it is true for smallblocks but had the same thing on the 454 and searched for months trying to stop them. It was averaging 3 quarts a week. Then I got out the preassure washer. Ten miniutes later diagnosed and 30 mins after that problem solved for ten bucks. Turns out it was a bad o-ring on the oil filter adapter. Pull the filter then remove the 2 allen screws pops right out. Looked like it was a rear main or pan or anything else. Lucky the thing holds like 7 quarts and I paid attention. Now it just burns a little oil. 1/2 a quart a month.

 

[xsmokey11499x]

when I pulled the oil pan off on my 80 k5. all i did was remove the dust cover, and Unbolt the pan
that was with a
350/350/203