Hey all,

Let me start off by saying how awesome this site is. I have been a "lurker" here for about a year. I finally decided to sign up and get a username a month or so ago. This site is a lifesaver if you own one of these cars. So anyway, to cut this short, thanks for all you guys do here, and for all the help you have given me by just letting me "listen" in.

But alas, it is time I made a post, because I am having a little trouble with my 98 GS. About a month ago it developed a leak in one of the spark plug seals. No problem. I just replaced the valve cover gasket and spark plug gaskets 2 days ago on my day off. That seems to have fixed the spark plug gasket leak. Success!

So that was easy enough. However, in the process of leaking for that month or so, it made a damn mess under the car as you can imagine (or know from first hand experience).

My question is I'm still dripping a little oil. Not like before, but several drops wherever I park. Before it was leaving small pools. Is there anything else on that side of the Engine that could be leaking slowly? I'm fairly sure my headgasket is just fine. I have clean oil without antifreeze in it.

Do you think there could just be that much damn oil still on the side of the block slowly dripping off? I would normally just get my lazy ass under there and wipe it all down, but i'm away from where my floor jack\garage is. Kinda a tight squeeze. Just curious if you guys\girls knew of any other small leak possibilites.

Car has 134,000 on it, and hasn't dripped a drop since I bought it, till now.

Thanks again for all your info here!

Spray down the back of the block, let it soak about 5 minutes and then hose it off. After you hose it off, crank up the car and let it run about 5 minutes. The Gunk will smell funny while it burns off. That's normal and it may take an hour or so of driving around town to have it burn 100% off. Just don't get too crazy with the water hose.

I wouldn't rule the headgasket out just yet.


Mine has been leaking on the driverside rear corner since i got the car.

Overstretched headbolt would be the culprit here. I have a timing belt, studs, and headgasket sitting in my room right now. It's just too hot out to mess with it.

Yeah, I know what you mean. The timing game is never fun. I would leave it in my closet until a cooler fall day also, and lots of beer.

Thanks guys for the advice. I cleaned some of the oil up last night. I will watch it close and see how much it drips over the next few days. I too don't feel like playing the headgasket game right now.

If nothing else, it's a hell of a lot better than before.

I know, right?! Lol.

If only that damn passenger side motor mount wasn't such a whore.... Cruise control makes it even more a pita!

The passenger side mount isn't as hard as you think. I can have it out in 20 minutes with hand tools and I do not have a hole cut out in the fenderwell. I find it harder to get the crank pulley off the car.

Oh, dont even get me started on the crank pulley.....

HA! So true. That pulley is a bitch.

Thought I would give you a boring update on the leak. After I cleaned under the car a bit. It quit dripping. I was in a hell yeah! kinda mood. Then yesterday, after driving it around on my day off...yep. It only would drip 3-4 drops when I parked it though. And today, nothing again. I think I am just gonna quit looking under the Effin car and decide it quit leaking.

It's probably not worth worrying about. After I get some other shit paid off, I plan on building the motor and boosting the little whore anyway...

the crank pulley is the devil! in both directions! I'd start with cleaning everything back there really good. if that doesn't do it, check tightness on your sensors on the back of the block (I forgot to tighten the crank sensor all the way when I changed the engine) they can piss oil just a touch. also make sure the oil pan gasket is good, I've had bolts come loose there and oil dripped. cleaning to find the source will be the best bet tho. there are oil dyes available that will show up under a black light and help find where leaks are

Well there are two or three sensors on the back side of the motor. I have a feeling that one of them is the stock oil pressure sending unit for the dummy light in the gauge cluster. If you jack the car up and support it properly-I'm anal about safety when I am under 2800lbs of death- you can crawl under the car and see all the sensors above the passenger side cv axle. All you need is a flashlight. A creeper and concrete are huge pluses though.

Edit-Evidently I'm anal about grammatical errors as well.

Originally posted by freelancefool
Spray down the back of the block, let it soak about 5 minutes and then hose it off.

That can actually has a 420A on it. I've laughed a little bit every time i've passed it in the store.

Well usually when you start to get high mileage the 420a is a know culpit to start leaking on both crank seals. I would check your belts for any signs of oily residue, if so you may have a slow leak on your front crank seal, other seal would cause your transmission housing to slowly build up oil and then drip from time to time. If those arent the culprit its possible it could have just been oil laying behind your engine from when the valve cover was leaking, or could have been laying up in the cross member. I would give it a good cleaning in and out and check. Another option would be to clean it and put some dye in the oil. Then you take a black light across the engine and the dye will light up neon green wherever its leaking from...

Originally posted by DarkOne

Originally posted by freelancefool Spray down the back of the block, let it soak about 5 minutes and then hose it off.

That can actually has a 420A on it. I've laughed a little bit every time i've passed it in the store.

Try working at an auto parts store! people would always wonder why I had a HUGE grin every time I had to stock that stuff :7