[ab_sood]

Hey guys,

whats this part, next to the engine oil pan in front of the car.
I was under the car, and noticed a drops of oil dripping from this part. wiped it, and next morning again saw a drop of oil on it.

Is this part of engine or transmission? need to figure out of if engine is leaking or Tranny.

I switched to Synthetic engine oil 2 months ago, and recently noticed engine oil was 1/2 a quart low. it never used to get low earlier.

 

[sadistic]

the item in the fore ground is the starter is that what you are asking about?

 

[dsmuts]

That's the starter, it doesn't have any oil in it. It is prob leaking from the valve cover or the oil pan.

 

[alexklm]

Looks like starter...

:mellow::mellow::mellow:

 

[ab_sood]

I will try to check next time, if I can see the source of leak.
Apart from pan gasket and valver cover, what else might be the source of leak?

should switching to synthetic cause leak ?

and how much should it cost to fix the valve cover leak?

 

[alexklm]

Wipe everything around, then drive a car a little bit, then visually inspect everything from starter and up. Most probably, you will find a leak source.

 

[rudedog]

Since it's a vulcan, it could very well be that the oil filter is not tight enough.

 

[dsmuts]

If you wanna track down the leak just clean your engine really good and then put baby powder all over where the leak was while the engine is still wet then when it leaks again the white powder will turn brownish. I've heard that synthetic is more susceptible to leaks then regular oil.

 

[ab_sood]

Since it's a vulcan, it could very well be that the oil filter is not tight enough.

The oil filter was a lil loose, so I tightened it good.
But even after that there was oil there.
I will check again to make sure that if filter was the cause. I so wish, that its filter only, and not anything else.

 

[KhanTyranitar]

The gaskets just get old and start leaking over time. Synthetic oil prtect those parts better than regular oil, but if there are leaks, synthetic can leak more rapidly that regular oil in some situations.

 

[sfhess]

I bet it's a leaky valve cover.

 

[egiroux]

If you wanna track down the leak just clean your engine really good and then put baby powder all over where the leak was while the engine is still wet then when it leaks again the white powder will turn brownish.

Pretty neat trick! Thanks for the idea.

 

[t2t]

I switched over to synthetic on my Duratec Taurus as I neared 100K. I started to experience seal leaks, so I switched back to fossil oil. I no longer have leak issues - but, sadly, I don't have the protection of synthetic oil either.

 

[sable23]

if you dont wipe down the starter after an oil change it will always get drops on it but since you said they came back i would bet a leaky or not tight oil filter or your valve cover gaskets

 

[ab_sood]

will check it tomorrow, n let u guys know.
if its anything more than filter.. i m back to dino oil

 

[dsmuts]

Pretty neat trick! Thanks for the idea.

I guess i could take all the credit but i read it in popular science lol

 

[armandjones82]

Just keep us posted if there is something wrong with the oil pan or if there is a progress in your car's performance. We'll wait for your reply on that one.

 

[sable23]

changing type of oil i dont think would really change a leak... i could be wrong but i doubt it will have any effect

 

[james27613]

hi,

also check your pcv valve, wife sable 99 had bad valve, the guts were missing!

this caused small oil leak and then larger ones from oil pan gasket.

some oil always drips on the starter when you change the oil, even paper towel will
not get all of it.

regards,

james

 

[ab_sood]

I checked regularly over last few days, and there is no oil leaking over starter.
so, it was loose filter only.