Finding oil leaks

[japspec01]

I have an oil leak coming from somewhere in my engine that's driving me nuts. It first seems to be only one leak coming from the main seal. But oil seems to be coming from every direction on my engine now. How do you guys check for oil leaks to pinpoint where there coming from? Is there a certain technique?

 

[swanny]

degrease your engine, take it for a spin and inspect.

 

[driver1]

degrease your engine and get some ultravoilet dye and put it in your your engine where you would normally put in oil. Then get a small black light of some sort. Take the car for a smal ride then come back and shine the black light on the engine where u might think it is leaking and the dye will light up

 

[cws13]

that technique is the best for confusing or mutiple leaks, but it is to be performed on a lift. if you drive your car and then check, odds are the oil and dye will be blown everywhere, now you've got a day-glo engine.

 

[driver1]

well unless u want to wait around for it to leak on its own that there is no real other way to check without driving it....also for that matter if u degrease it and then afre going to wait around u could more or less just look for oil and not worry about the dye and tyhe point of it is to track where the dye is the brightest and most concentrated....also last time i checked jackstands and a creeper work just fine if u have no acces to a lift. And 90% of oil leaks come with oil pressure so u must atleast let the car run or drive it

 

[japspec01]

Thanks for yur replys guys. Good info

 

[DarkHand]

Don't forget the Shake & Bake method.

Flour or baby powder on the engine, then look for the leak that's on top of the powder.

 

[brc80]

I had i leak like that and no matter what i did i coulndt find it, id replace one seal just to have it leak again. Truns out all my seals were bas so i was just pushing the oil to the next bad seal.