Oil leaks on new engine

[spiderrey]

hmmmmmmm

[fiasco]

Love that response Reyy!

I still haven't taken the time to clean it off, and then just let it run while I watch to see exactly where the oil is coming from. I hope to have time to do that this afternoon - but then again, I had that same hope yesterday and the day before too.

I'll let you know what I find out.
-- se

[ventura ace]

Steve,
Mark Alison and I were discussing your engine leaks this morning, and wondering if it may be caused by blockage in the crankcase vapor lines. I know you cleaned out the centrifugal trap and block very well, so that part is good. What about the big 1” line with the flame arrester in the end. Did you pull the flame arrestor out and check to see if the 1” line was clear? How about the flame arrestor itself – is it gunked up (let it soak in solvent, and swish it around to get any crud out of it)?

Those aftermarket air filters on the carburetor are notorious for having a very tiny fitting for a PVC valve hose, but the Fiat system is different and needs a large flow area to keep from causing back pressure in the crankcase. That’s why that hose is about 1” in diameter, and it can’t be reduced down to a smaller fitting without causing trouble. If that line is restricted, the typical result is that your engine will leak everywhere. You are better off just to vent the line to atmosphere than to connect through a small fitting to the carburetor intake.

Check it out -- the symptoms you describe suggest that this might be the problem. Hope so. The solution is simple -- just get rid of the restriction.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!

A

[fiasco]

That crankcase hose is not connected to the air filter for the very reason you mentioned. I was hesitant to put on a reducer to hook it up to the small fitting on the air cleaner, so it currently vents to the atmosphere.

-- se

[So Cal Mark]

is the vacuum hose connected to the crankcase breather?

[baltobernie]

I think it is indeed possible to distort the seal as you've pictured. In addition to the lubrication that Matt mentions, I usually find it necessary to use a small dull flat screwdriver to coax the lip of the seal over the shaft.

Here's one way to determine if the seal is correctly seated: On most Fiat seals I've seen, the section which contacts the rotating shaft is embossed in a cross-hatch pattern. If, when you remove the pulleys, you can see this pattern showing, your fears are justified. You've then got even more serious problems with a loose spring floating around in the tower.

BTW, an old geezer once told me to lubricate seals upon installation with the type of fluid they are trying to hold back.

Sorry, Mark, didn't mean to bump you.

[fiasco]

is the vacuum hose connected to the crankcase breather?

Plugged at the end that used to connect to the air cleaner. Still connected to the carb at the other end.

[So Cal Mark]

that vacuum source is a big help to ventilate the crankcase, it should be connected to the breather hose

[fiasco]

Got a close look yesterday, and with Ace's over-the-phone help got a good sense of what's going on.

The only place that oil is obviously coming from is from the back of the driver's side cam pulley. So I'm thinking that even if there is a small leak somewhere else, the cam seal on the driver's side is definitely leaking and the pulley is throwing the leaking oil all over the place. So next step will be to get the pulleys off and look closer - and I need at least one, if not a pair of cam seals.

Other than that, it's driving great!

-- se

[ventura ace]

I have a couple of camshaft seals to send to you, Steve. I'll try to get them in the mail tomorrow. It will be interesting to try to figure out why the one in there is leaking. Looking at my engine, it is conceivable that a leak at the very front of the cam tower base gasket could drip on the inside flange of the pulley. Be sure to rule out that possibility.

Alvon

[fiasco]

Thanks - it'll be a big help if I have those seals in front of me when I get the pulleys off. If I confirm that the seals are the problem and can replace them at the same time, it'll save me from having to pull the pulleys off twice. If that ends up not being the problem, I can just send them back to you.

-- se

[TulsaSpider]

So Steve what was the outcome of your leaks? I am getting ready to put my motor together and am curious about seals and leaks, don't want any! LOL

[Adam]

I had the same oil leaks. I had a cracked stud on the exhaust side cam tower that was pooling on the front of the cylinder head. Made a temp fix for the year and have since changed out the cam tower. The oil leaks on the intake side of the block were caused by blocked cyclonic trap, poorly installed mech fuel pump blocking plate, leaking dip stick seal, and a low oil sensor that was not seating well. Took the trap apart, cleaned it, installed a new gasket and new lines. Leak solved on to the next. Mine has an electric fuel pump, but was also leaking from the mech blocking plate. Cleaned the surfaces, installed a new gasket and torqued it properly, and voilla, fixed. Installed a new dipstick seal but it was still leaking. I took the seal off and put 2 layers of heat shrink tubing over the rod then put the seal back on; leak solved. My final leak was coming from the low pressure sensor. I replaced the sensor after breaking the wire connection and used thread sealant when re-installing. All leaks solved just in time to put her away for the winter.

[fiasco]

So Steve what was the outcome of your leaks? I am getting ready to put my motor together and am curious about seals and leaks, don't want any! LOL

It was a bad seal on the crank shaft on the front of the engine. The oil was leaking out and getting on the timing belt and getting thrown all over the place. Everything that was getting thrown onto the underside of the hood was dripping down onto the spark plugs. We got that main seal replaced and everything was buttoned up tight.

-- se