I seem to have developed a bad oil leak! I couldn't get a good photo of the other spot, but it's same side just other end. Leaving for FFC on Thur. but not with this leak! Any thoughts on the cause?

914's don't leak oil! They mark their territory...

I'll add that this is a steady drip, about every 3 seconds.

What do you mean "other end"? Can you point to where on the pic it's dripping from, or describe it in words?

--DD

Oil cooler seals or oil temp switch on top?(thats the easy one)

It's not leak at the oil cooler. This is the drivers side. The photo shows where the oil is dripping from, I don't think it's leaking at that point. The shift linkage is in the way to get a clear pic of the other spot.

oil cooler is drivers side

Oil cooler is driver's side. If your engine is in upside down, that is!

Anyway, my guess is your lower head bolts are seeping where they pass through the head. They need some kind of sealant where the flat washers and nuts go inside the rocker box, or they'll seep oil.

I can't think of anything else that it could be. Leaking oil can't pass from one fin to the next, without flowing uphill in between, so it can't be a case bolt or cylinder spigot at the crankcase end. The other possibility was pushrod tubes, but they look clean.

If it is your lower head bolts, you can probably remove the nuts one at a time, clean the seat in the head, as well as the washer and bolt, and retorque with sealant. I think I used flange sealant on the washer (both sides) and thread sealant on the nut. You can get to the nuts with the valve cover off.

One of our experts should comment on this approach, as the stress on the head is uneven while you remove the nut, but before you've retorqued it. If it were my engine, I'd try it though. As long as everything has cooled down to room temp.

Jim

Well the good news is it quit leak on its own. I'm wondering if it wasn't from the 2600 mile plus trip to RRC. There was a lot of oil vapor on everything when we got back. Today was the first time it has been started since getting back. Anyways.....


I'm pretty sure... my oil cooler is on the passanger side, at least that's where it is when I look for it