First ride of the season = oil leak! Options

[PaIsa]

So after the long winter, warmer weather is back. I finally completed all the work on the car and was able to get it out of the garage for a quick ride.

First here is the list of what I did on the car during the winter:

- Took the engine and transmission out of the car
- Replace most of the seals on the tail shift transmission
- Replace most of the shifter linkage balls & bushing
- Valves adjustment on the engine
- Push rod tube seal replacement
- Some push rods were replace since I destroyed some while trying to get them out.
- Valve cover gaskets replacement
- Front main shaft seal replacement (the fan side)
- Oil cooler seal replacement
- Refurbishing of the rear suspension (torsion bar, bushings, springs, shocks, etc.)
- New pedal set
- New muffler

and I am probably missing some small items.

Car runs great. Much quieter with the new muffler. Shifts very well. Pulls like it use to. No complaints, but...

When I got back from the quick ride (10 km), I found out that there is what appears to be an oil leak on the left side of the engine. There was smoke coming from oil that was sprayed on the left side and that dripped over the hot heat exchangers.

With all the work that I have done, I guess that I did something wrong since the car did not leaked there last summer. So what do you think that I did wrong and that I should look at?

The oil (appears to be engine oil) can be seen on the valve cover and was sprayed on the chassis of the car (I saw oil on the inside torsion bar attachment, on the parking brake cable, on the heat exchanger, etc.). Can it be a leaking cover gasket or a badly install push rod tube seals??

I will go out again tonight and after the ride I will get the car on the lift and take some pictures to try to better explain the situation. In the meantime, I am open to any comment or advice.

The engine is a 1.8L.

[Geezer914]

My first guess is that the valve cover gasket shifted when installed. Clean up the oil, then start the car and see where the oil is leaking from.

[PaIsa]

My first guess is that the valve cover gasket shifted when installed. Clean up the oil, then start the car and see where the oil is leaking from.

Really hope it is just this as I don't want to fight the push rod tube again!! Just getting to the valve cover gasket with the engine in the car will be a bit more challenging compare to working on it with the engine out!

[930cabman]

My first guess is that the valve cover gasket shifted when installed. Clean up the oil, then start the car and see where the oil is leaking from.

Really hope it is just this as I don't want to fight the push rod tube again!! Just getting to the valve cover gasket with the engine in the car will be a bit more challenging compare to working on it with the engine out!

You are not alone, I just did a similar job but included a new clutch. Mine is running great, but leaking more oil than before. Hoping I can remove the heat exchangers and have decent access to reseal the valve covers