Hello Forum,

I am trying to track down a oil leak. For years I thought it was coming from the corners of the valve cover gaskets so, in reading some great posts about that, I bought the 12pt socket, tightened things down and the tops of the heads are dry as a bone. However, I am still getting a leak down the front sides of the heads dripping on the pumpkin and the oil line to the low point of the filter. It is hard to see behind the compressor alternator assembly but it seems to me that is is coming from the head gasket area on the front/forward, perhaps outboard corner area, of where the heads mate the block.

I don't now, nor ever had, any cooling issues. At temp the needle is always rock solid is the same place on the gauge, hills, pulling load, idle, AC, etc... never moved too much...

Also, no murkiness in the oil. While the drip is noticeable on the pumpkin, filter and garage floor, it is less noticeable on the dipstick (meaning, I checked 4-5 days ago and seems to be the same now...rough gauge I know...)

So, might the problem be with the head gasket? or something else? if else, what?

This car has become my daily driver for the past year and no immediate plans to get another car. As such, I'd like "Disco" the be rock-solid/reliable to drive to/from the sierras (320mile r/t from SF) or at least for my wife to drive on weekends if I take her car.

Link to photos taken of the problem: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14312...59133776_7oKJJ

Thanks again in advance! Cheers, Tom

 

No offense Tom, just post all your rigs problems in the same post. This is a common concern in LR. A simple search would bring this up.

That being said it could just be a valley pan gasket as well. I helped a friend with a DII who swore his head gaskets were leaking. We pulled both heads to find they were not leaking at all. Just the valley pan gasket.

I currently have a head gasket leak on my 95, I only know this as it is seeping coolant. VERY slowly so I added pink G12 coolant instead of green as it has coagulant capability and has crusted up where it was seeping. Temp fix until I get
around to doing this repair this winter.

 

If you have no hg symtoms I would assume it was the valley pan leaking.

 

Thanks Brad, no offense taken and glad to learn the etiquette. Some how I thought if I put all the problems in the same thread it would too long for anyone to read.. ;-) Thus the diff ECU vs. Oil.

Either way, glad to hear it is valley Pan vs, pulling the heads. I'll do the research on R&R VPG and go from there. Thanks again. Tom

 

Does anybody have a good step by step on the Valley Pan Gasket replacement?

Tom, could you take some photos and post what you did/found?

 

A good degreasing top and bottom of the engine does wonders for spotting leaks.

 

Hi Danny, here is a link to photos and Descriptions:
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14312...59133776_7oKJJ

Let me know if you need inline photos instead.

I'd love to see the valley pan gasket replacement thread pointers.

Thanks, Tom