Engine Oil Leak from Lower Intake! It seemed like it?

[savegoodautonfg]

The gaskets were replaced on the 21st of August. BTW, you can tell it was leaking from there bc wen we took off (mechanic and I) the upper and lower you could see a puddle of oil under the lower. it was definetly that. It was still leaking from left over up until the August 25th, it stopped leaking around the 1st of september. its now the 18th. from the 1st of september to about the 14th it did'nt leak. now all of a sudden i go under there the other day for something else and what do you know same type of leak running down the engine shield. only 2 drips or so a night but its bull **** it should'nt be leaking at all. anyone understand. the thing im confused about is that it stopped for 2 weeks or so. i can't understand it.

Mechanic has been with ford for 8 years.

 

[Zero_chance]

If the intake seals werent installed properly theres chance they blew back out in a spot and the leak will probably get worst.

 

[DMAN302]

Intakes need to be retorqued at least once...best twice. I would also suspect the rear main seal.

 

[Blk91stang]

Look at the area circled. I had an oil leak near the shield area between the motor and the bellhousing. I replaced my rear main seal with no luck. Than I pulled the lower intake, sealed those corners, and reinstalled and what do you know, no more leaks!!!

What type of Head Gaskets did you use? If they came up short like these FelPro MLS's, I can bet this is your problem.

BTW- I have never retorqued my lower intake before let alone retorque anything on my motor and have NEVER had a problem. I know you "should" do it but just throwing my experience out there. I have done 7 lower intake installations on this motor so far.

 

[FastGT50Stang]

Hey guys, since your talking about oil leaks from the lower intake manifolds, i just have one question for you guys. I installed Trick Flow R-series upper/lower manifolds w/ a one inch spacer and i only seem to have one problem with it.....THE back of the lower manifold has a hole; just like stock lower manifolds have, and this hole is spitting out oil at times under high oil pressure, what am i supposed to do with this hole, block it off or what? ?
PLEASE HELP...

Thanks
Stan

 

[savegoodautonfg]

What type of Head Gaskets did you use? If they came up short like these FelPro MLS's, I can bet this is your problem.

I got my engine from Promar Engines so i used the gaskets that came from them.

 

[fidstang]

Hey guys, since your talking about oil leaks from the lower intake manifolds, i just have one question for you guys. I installed Trick Flow R-series upper/lower manifolds w/ a one inch spacer and i only seem to have one problem with it.....THE back of the lower manifold has a hole; just like stock lower manifolds have, and this hole is spitting out oil at times under high oil pressure, what am i supposed to do with this hole, block it off or what? ?
PLEASE HELP...

Thanks
Stan

connect your pcv valve into the hole!
also, if it's pooring out, you may have forgot to put in the baffle for the lower intake.

 

[dwhiskie]

Its better to use RTV on the front and back of the lower. Also might want to fix as soon as possible because if it runs down between the block and the bell housing and gets on the clutch disk, you will be replacing it as well.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

Its better to use RTV on the front and back of the lower. Also might want to fix as soon as possible because if it runs down between the block and the bell housing and gets on the clutch disk, you will be replacing it as well.

Well my first mechanic used the silicone on the front and back when he put my new engine in. then my new mechanic not the same one taht did the engine wen we put the new intake gaskets in the reason why it was leaking was because of the silicone so we used the gaskets in front and back this time.

 

[dwhiskie]

Humm....I have never seen one leak using silicone, maybe the first guy didnt put enough on and you say its leaking again with the gaskets. Ya got me there? Sorry Im not any help. Bump TTT for ya atleast.

 

[Blk91stang]

I think your better off with silicone. I use Ultra Black RTV and lay a nice thick TALL bead to make sure that it seals properly. Also use it around the water ports which looks like you dont have a problem with.

 

[vristang]

I think most folks here will agree not to use the cork gaskets.
If you get the rubber U-shaped gaskets, then use those.
Otherwise silicone is the most reliable.


The gasket leak could be caused by excessive crankcase pressure.
Start looking into the pcv system. All stock components need to be in place.
A leakdown and compression test will rule out compression gasses getting into the crankcase.

Let us know about your pcv system,
jason

 

[savegoodautonfg]

Yea i'll never go cork i got the blue u-shaped gaskets for front and back of intake. also my mechanic pulled out the screen cuz he said that it constaly cloggs it up and it is'nt worth it. he also told me to check pcv and it is in there pretty good. it doesnt seem to be the pcv. any other ideas?

I think most folks here will agree not to use the cork gaskets.
If you get the rubber U-shaped gaskets, then use those.
Otherwise silicone is the most reliable.


The gasket leak could be caused by excessive crankcase pressure.
Start looking into the pcv system. All stock components need to be in place.
A leakdown and compression test will rule out compression gasses getting into the crankcase.

Let us know about your pcv system,
jason

 

[vristang]

Yea i'll never go cork i got the blue u-shaped gaskets for front and back of intake. also my mechanic pulled out the screen cuz he said that it constaly cloggs it up and it is'nt worth it. he also told me to check pcv and it is in there pretty good. it doesnt seem to be the pcv. any other ideas?

Put the pcv screen back in and replace it often.
The screen will help keep excessive amounts of oil out of your intake.
It is a necessary part.

Are you saying that the U-shaped rubber gasket is leaking out the front of the lower intake?

jason

 

[savegoodautonfg]

Put the pcv screen back in and replace it often.
The screen will help keep excessive amounts of oil out of your intake.
It is a necessary part.

Are you saying that the U-shaped rubber gasket is leaking out the front of the lower intake?

jason

No i can't see what it leaking. without the screen could that be why im having the leak problem.

 

[vristang]

No i can't see what it leaking. without the screen could that be why im having the leak problem.

The lack of a pcv screen could be allowing high volumes of oil into the intake manifold, where that oil would accumulate. It is possible that some oil which has puddled in the intake is starting to drip out of the intake.
I doubt this is what is going on though.

If you really have no idea where the oil is coming from then it may be time to pressure wash the engine.

This is the only way I can think of to find the source of an unkown oil leak.

It is pretty tough to fix a problem, if you can't locate the problem.

jason

 

[savegoodautonfg]

The lack of a pcv screen could be allowing high volumes of oil into the intake manifold, where that oil would accumulate. It is possible that some oil which has puddled in the intake is starting to drip out of the intake.
I doubt this is what is going on though.

If you really have no idea where the oil is coming from then it may be time to pressure wash the engine.

This is the only way I can think of to find the source of an unkown oil leak.

It is pretty tough to fix a problem, if you can't locate the problem.

jason

What would pressure washing the engine do?

Is makes no sense that the intake leak stopped for 2 weeks after the gasket changes.

 

[savegoodautonfg]

so, last night i went back to my mechanic and he put engine oil dye in it and hes gonna check it saturday night to see if he can see anything. he also told me to put a white piece of printer paper under where it leaking and check to see waht color it is. it can't be rear main seal cuz that would be redish. this fluid is yellowish which is oil.

 

[Zero_chance]

Rear main holds back oil.

 

[vristang]

What would pressure washing the engine do?

Is makes no sense that the intake leak stopped for 2 weeks after the gasket changes.

Pressure washing would remove an left over oil currently sitting on the engine.
Then, you would be able to watch fro fresh oil.

The rear main seal does hold oil, as stated above.

If the problem is with the pcv system, then you could only see oil leaks when the conditions are right.
Such as high crankcase pressure and low vac - such as a WOT run.

The oil dye should help quite a bit.

Let us know what you find.

jason