oil looking stuff leaking

[wilfonzo]

the other day i noticed a oil looking substance dripping off the bell housinginstantly i was like damn it its got to be oil, but then i remebered the other problem i have, when i put together my new ka24e i missed tightening the bolt on the intake mani under the coolant runner and alot of coolant has been leaking out, could this oil like substance be coolant dripping down the engine and getting dirty and maybe mixing with oil that was on the bell housing from the previous engine... or is time to start saving up for another motor... or does anyone have a way to test... please helpps i just got around to tightening the bolt today

[navysnail]

you can get a little of it and put it in some water, see if it mixes.

if it is oil, check your rear main seal, or you can put some UV dye in the oil and use a black light to see were it is leaking

[wilfonzo]

genious UV die , how do i check the rear main seal, and is it easy to fix, id really rather keep this motor, than swap a third in...but the black light thing... youve been watching too much CSI

[slydin'240]

No he's right. You put in the UV die and it glows under a black light. Its the only way to see the die.As far as the rear seal you maybe able to remove the transmission and get to it or you may have to take out the motor. I have only replaced the front seal which is a snap.

[wilfonzo]

i dont doubt him being right about the UV dye... but yeah that sounds like a huge pain in the *** to fix... i was hoping id never have to take out that thing again

[DjPantsSpecR]

you'd have to remove the transmission, then remove the flywheel/drive plate which would suck, then its a plate held on by a few bolts that contains that....

youd be better off pulling the motor if this were the situation.

there is no oil around where the front seal is? because i know first hand front seal blow outs will make oil all the way back to the diff... thats an easy one

could be a nasty motor and the coolant outlet on the block could have a leak somewhere, but i highly doubt that

i was kinda thinkin maybe your valve cover has a leak in the rear, i had a blowout in the rear once because i put the valve cover on like a D-bag apparently...

now quit laughing because "i had a blowout in the rear" and check that **** out

[wilfonzo]

haha, yeah the valve cover does appear to be leaking a little bit, but there also appears to be a leak around the starter... and i thought mabe it found its way there fron the valve cover but i cant seem to trace it from anywhere

where is the front seal? ill check that too

it wasnt the coolant like i originally thought cause the leak there is fix and the oil is still leaking

[wilfonzo]

well, i just went and pulled the valve cover and put a bunch of form-a-gasket all over that thing so we'll see how that goes

[wilfonzo]

how do i check the front seal?

[DjPantsSpecR]

oil all over the place around the crank on the front timing cover

when it gets bd it will fling oil all over the place even on the hood and as far back as the differential at speeds

[wilfonzo]

yeah, im almost positive its the rear main seal...

i took off the valve cover and put some form-a-gasket all over it and the gasket has less than 2k on it, and after all that it is still leaking...

how much do you suppose it would cost someone to replace it...i have a lack of hoist and time so its gonna come to this

but can anyone expain the oil that appears to be coming out near the starter

ps, yes i know it can be done with out a hoist but i really dont want to do that either

[DjPantsSpecR]

i pulled a KA last thrusday and two days ago useing a scaffolding and a come-a-long. you dont need a hoist, or worst comes to worst rent one for like 10 dollars a day. if you cant find a rental place you havent even looked yet.

the best you can do is raise the car, drop the transmission then pull it out. then remove the clutch and all that jazz. then you just unbolt that plate. that plate is also gonna need a gasket, so tht could be your problem too

this is gonna become way too much aof a problem without pulling a motor, unless you like to work on your back, you slut....

[wilfonzo]

i prefer my knees, no but really i dont remember any sort of gasket behind that plate thing, that is behind the fly wheel, is it supposed to have one?

[DjPantsSpecR]

that plate physically holds the rear main seal.

it also bolts to the oil pan with two bolts

and you have to lay a gasket on the rear of that plate if you removed it to remove the crank for any reason.

this gasket even exists in most if not all "full engine gasket sets"

i just used ultra black

[wilfonzo]

hmm...ultra black

[wilfonzo]

this is the plate that has a hole cut out for the starter right?

[wilfonzo]

anyone know the going price for this procedure... someone has quoted me 200$ for parts and labor to replace the main seal

good deal or no?

[DjPantsSpecR]

definately not that plate. its much smaller and bolts up to the block, thats the gasket i'm refering too. it holds the rear main seal.

there should be no gasket on that plate youre refering to

[wilfonzo]

thats definatly a good thing then... ok ive decided what i have to do thanks for all the help guys