Big Oil Problem., It started as a dribble... Options

[Brando]

This evening when driving with a friend of mine down to riverside my oil light came on. Not just flickering, but on. Went away at about 2k RPMS. Then i started smelling burning oil. Not good.

After we get to the pool hall, I hop under and take a look. I saw about half a quart of oil on the ground under my car. The 3.5 quarts were maybe somewhere between Van Buren and Arlington Ave.

After about an hour of pool i go back to my car, put in the 'emergency' half-quart of oil. I also take this time to see that my entire engine compartment has oil sloshed all around. Underneath the car is pretty much oil-bathed everywhere. I started seeing brown and white streaks in the oil from the return line. This concerns me. I made it to a Kragen down the street, bought a 10-pack of 10W30 and put in 3 quarts. That lasted me a whopping 5 minutes before the burning oil smell and oil warning light returned. Pulled over, added 3 more quarts, and made it almost home. I had to turn the car off and coast for about a block to my house. While driving my friend noticed a 'sprinkler' sound, of spritzing maybe. All i heard was a 'SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS' and saw oil spraying out the back.

I'm really concerned here that something expensive (!!!) broke. All I know is that oil doesn't stay inside the case and that I hear a spraying sound when the engine is on. Any ideas? Suggestions? All input is apprecieated. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[scotty914]

oil gallery plug un seated and is spraying under pressure ???

[MattR]

Holy crap. We need to send some hazmat trucks to follow your car.

Maybe it was the autox that did it!

[newdeal2]

I have never had it happen personally but it does sound like a gallery plug. I had all of mine re done this rebuild. Not sure what else it could be if the engine keeps running. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[MattR]

You might check your oil filter too. Aaron had a similar problem after the last autox. It loosened and he spilled some oil.

[Jake Raby]

Atleast if its that bad it'll be easy to find!

Sounds like a ruptured oil cooler, or galley plug to me..

[Brando]

I think you guys may have hit it on the head with the Oil Galley Plug.

I took a few minutes to inspect around. Oil Pressure Sensor didn't explode or come out, Oil Filter is still tightly in place, and my valve covers aren't leaking. That leaves an oil line to my remote oil cooler or my oil galley plug.

I'll get it up on the rack thursday maybe to be sure. Thanks dudes - at least it's not something warranting a new engine (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[jim912928]

hmmm..mine is doing the same thing. Where are all these oil galley plugs? I drip no oil whatsover when the car is off. Nothing from the case, nothing from the taco plate, nothing from the oil cover where the strainger etc. is. But when it's running I'm blowing oil front passenger side. When I get under there the oil cooler is covered and dripping...oil filter is covered and dripping. Oil sender area is dry. So, I've wondered if I have cracked oil cooler seals?, oil cooler leak? or is there one of these galley plugs around there?

[Jake Raby]

There are 4 galleys in that area.... But it sounds like a cooler leak on yours to me..

Anyone that don't drill and tap all these galleys at rebuild time is a glutten for punishment! (atleast the 5 main galleys)

Another troublesome area is with the oil filter adaptor where it meets the case. That gasket sometimes blows and is hard to trace down as a leak..

Use a can of carb cleaner to dry AL the oil up followed with a blast of compressed air to dry the area well. Crank it back up and look closely for traces of the leak and its easy to find..

[jim912928]

Thanks Jake...my first chore this spring as the 914 is now tucked away in storage....oh how I hate winter in the midwest!

[ClayPerrine]

Check the galley plugs at the top of the oil cooler console. I had the same problem with Betty's car. After a very noted professional Porsche shop in the DFW area did the case work, I rebuilt the engine. Major oil leak. After months of fiddling with it, I found that the 2 plugs in the oil cooler console never got installed correctly. They were straight plugs rather than tapered pipe plugs. Retapped it and replaced the plugs, and it has been bone dry ever since.


I found it by pulling the engine tin on the passenger side, then reassembling the intake and distributor without the tin. Started the car (don't run it long without the tin... it will overheat) and I immediately saw that the plugs were leaking. Pulling the tin gives you a clear view of everything that can leak over there.

[Dave_Darling]

But when it's running I'm blowing oil front passenger side.

Jim, re-install the bolt where the pulley for the thermostat wire used to be. That is a hole that goes all the way into the sump, and oil will slosh (or sometimes spray) out of there while you're driving.

--DD

[jim912928]

Dave D.....where do I find this bolt in relation to things I might recognize in that engine compartment!.....I'm still refreshing my 914 knowledge as I've only been back into them for about a year.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[ClayPerrine]

I'm not Dave, but I can answer that.... Crawl under and look for the taco plate. On the LH side of the case about 3 inches above the taco plate there will be a m6 threaded hole. Put a bolt into it. It goes straight into the crankcase without any kind of bottom.