Oil leak

[Sonny]

Who/where was it put together.

Me/home

 

[dvw]

If you use the wrong lower timing cover bolts they can be to long. Thread actually bottoms in the hole. They look and fell tight. But are actually about .020"-.030" from clamping the cover. The factory bolts are a goofy length.
Doug

 

[TN Mopar]

I had the same leak
Drove me nuts
We changed the pan gasket but that wasn't it
I swore up and down it was the front seal
I ordered a new timing chain cover and new seal but when we pulled the Dampner it was totally dry on the back side
We pulled the timing chain cover to replace with the new one and we found the leak
I had a weird divot on the block surface that mates with the cover
Perhaps I hit it with the die grinder when I was de-burring the block
At any rate we totally missed it when building the engine
I was lucky in that it wasnt terribly deep but deep enough to leak there with the pressure of the crankcase and a new build that the rings hadn't seated
We used some right stuff there and it worked wonders
Im at about 500 miles now and no more leaks

 

[Sonny]

If you use the wrong lower timing cover bolts they can be to long. Thread actually bottoms in the hole. They look and fell tight. But are actually about .020"-.030" from clamping the cover. The factory bolts are a goofy length.
Doug

I had no idea. I’ll take a thread or two off of them and try again. I actually used studs with nuts but the nuts may be hitting the unthreaded portion too. Thanks for the tip. I’ll try that before ripping the front of the engine off!

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Clean everything up and pressure test as DVW said!!!! That will hiss you off as where the leak is and stop making yourself crazier than you are

 

[Sonny]

Clean everything up and pressure test as DVW said!!!! That will hiss you off as where the leak is and stop making yourself crazier than you are

 

[Sonny]

I don’t have a compressor to do that with. Will see if I can borrow one.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

If can seal a long rubber hose to the PVC you can blow into the hose and watch at the same time!

 

[Ceedawg]

One thing I found years ago, I was tightening the bolts to tight. Go to track, come back leaks and bolts loose or gone?! Tried a lot of things, still the same. Then while reading the fsm they said torque to so many inch pounds, I said no way, to light. But to my surprise it worked, no more leaks or lost bolts. Make sure NO OIL is on surface you’re glueing, it won’t stick. Use brake cleaner to wash down good. G luck
Make sure pan lip is flat, not raised at the bolt hole, over tighting will cause this

 

[QOTHL]

I paid a lot of money for a professional to rebuild my #'s matching 440. The oil pan leaked like a sieve just like you're describing. They had packed a ton of silicon sealer to "fix" the problem and didn't work. We had to take the pan off for another problem and that's when we discovered the pan bolt holes and the flange were badly warped and hooved up from over tightening. I've rebuilt engines in automotive class and the instructor showed how to take a rubber mallet and wooden block and make everything flat so that it fits flush. We used red RTV to seal the pan on the 440 and haven't seen a drop of oil since. Two gaskets for pan and windage tray. This repair was done in 2017. Since your pan is new, it may be nice and flat or maybe it's been overtightened - just my suggestion.

 

[diesel_lv]

I’m going to check when I pull the cover. I remember there is one behind the cam gear and one that points down above the crank. Any others?

Don't worry about the oil journal plugs behind the timing cover. If one were missing, it would have no oil pressure.

 

[joemish]

I have a 440 with only about 3k miles on it since I rebuilt it and can’t stop this oil leak. I have used 5 different oil pan gaskets but no change. It’s the wettest at the front passenger corner where the timing cover meets the pan;however, it doesn’t leak at idle or low speeds. It’s wet near the oil filter too. After a highway drive, there’s oil all over the belly of the pan, K member, drag link and even on the front of the trans pan. Dripping. I’m currently using a Milodon pan and dry cork gasket. Question is, could this be a PCV issue? I’m using a Mopar breather cap and a cheap advance auto PVC valve hooked to the carb. Maybe the new front crank seal wasn’t centered? The tc cover was original and not in great shape either.
I’ve ordered a new tc cover but I thought I’d ask before I strip the front of the engine apart. I’ve never seen oil dripping directly under the seal.

change the oil pan itself.

 

[Sonny]

change the oil pan itself.

On my third one...

 

[Sonny]

Don't worry about the oil journal plugs behind the timing cover. If one were missing, it would have no oil pressure.

I swapped the stock oil pump for a melling high volume pump. Instantly when from 45 cold to 75 psi using 20w-50. Now using 10w-30 and getting 80psi cold in park and 10 psi hot in gear. Goes up to 40-50 when driving. Good enough for me.

 

[moose1]

Here's a long shot.... had a mysterious leak near the right front of my 318 Poly, turned out to be the fuel pump gasket. Worth a look?

 

[65Belvedere440]

I have a 440 with only about 3k miles on it since I rebuilt it and can’t stop this oil leak. I have used 5 different oil pan gaskets but no change. It’s the wettest at the front passenger corner where the timing cover meets the pan;however, it doesn’t leak at idle or low speeds. It’s wet near the oil filter too. After a highway drive, there’s oil all over the belly of the pan, K member, drag link and even on the front of the trans pan. Dripping. I’m currently using a Milodon pan and dry cork gasket. Question is, could this be a PCV issue? I’m using a Mopar breather cap and a cheap advance auto PVC valve hooked to the carb. Maybe the new front crank seal wasn’t centered? The tc cover was original and not in great shape either.
I’ve ordered a new tc cover but I thought I’d ask before I strip the front of the engine apart. I’ve never seen oil dripping directly under the seal.

Have you checked the two oil pan bolts on either side directly below where the timing chain cover seats to the engine? I'm noticing on my rebuilt 440 that the bolts do not seem long enough and oil is seeping at the top and looks like it is coming from the timing cover. I think the bolt should come out the top of the hole.

 

[Ceedawg]

Front cover goes on first then the pan. Let sealer in corners DRY overnight, oil will dissolve it if not dry. Also torque the bolts to SM specs!

 

[WileERobby]

Have you checked the two oil pan bolts on either side directly below where the timing chain cover seats to the engine? I'm noticing on my rebuilt 440 that the bolts do not seem long enough and oil is seeping at the top and looks like it is coming from the timing cover. I think the bolt should come out the top of the hole.

Topic is 4 years old. Wonder if he found the leak.