I have a 99 Eclipse and my mother has a 95 Talon. The Talon has a pretty good oil leak on the driver's side somewhere that sprays oil down the under side of the car on that side. I was under my Eclipse Monday and noticed it seems to have a similar leak. I had thought the leak on the Talon was a rear main seal. But isn't this leak just common after a rebuild? If so I was thinking maybe they both are sufferibng from that oil leak caused by the rear most driver's side headbolt. I need some replies as to what you guys think before I pull anything apart.

headgasket.....from the driverside head bolt

Originally posted by silvereclipse30
headgasket.....from the driverside head bolt

which is a few notches too long b/c of an oil-something line under it... to my knowledge all 2gnt's have this problem...


shave the bolt(or use arp studs) and change the HG

Thanx for the replies. I sure was hoping this was the problem and not the rear main. Although I would like to know if I can get away with not changing the head gasket at this time. I am really busy working two jobs and I hate to say it, but I need a quick fix. Can I remove the culprit bolt without removing the head? And do you think just having a 1/4 inch turned off the bolt will be ok? I have worked in a machine shop for several years and I have a few people who owe me favors.

Originally posted by Kaoz78
Thanx for the replies. I sure was hoping this was the problem and not the rear main.

is it dripping from the bell housing? ive had both leaks before and the headbolt makes the block messy and the rear main makes the clutch fork all oily, pull off the little rubber access thing over the slave and clutch fork and feel around for oil residue

I haven't felt around much on the Talon, but I did change the alt. belt on my 99 this past weekend. Best I remember the bottom of the trans was pretty clean but behind the engine is a mess. I have pretty much decided that it is the headbolt. I just wanna know if I can replace that bolt without removing the head.

Originally posted by Kaoz78
I just wanna know if I can replace that bolt without removing the head.

why would you need to remove the head? the headbolts hold it ON. anyway the answer is yes, but you'll need to remove the intake camshaft in order to get that bolt out

I said head because Anja said to replace the headgasket. And damn I sure was hoping I wouldn't have to mess with the cams at all. I do need to do timing belt service on my 99 though. What sux is that the Talon was just done and now I'll have to mess with all that again. ;(

well yea, to replace the headgasket you're going to have to take off the head

Yeah man I know that. I'm no noob when it comes to wrenchin'. I just needed a little info from some of the 420A scholars on the board. I am very glad to hear I don't have to pull the head though. I just wish I could get around removing that intake cam. Oh and how much needs to come off the bottom of the bolt to fix this? Does anyone happen to have a couple of old headbolts I couldbuy and have them shortened? I am really not as much of a cheap bastard as it seems I just don't have enough money to spend at the moment.

with the head STUDS you can actually remove them without taking off the cams :) just get a univeral joint and it fits in there enough to crack the torque on the head stud bolt, its pretty sweet :)

im not to sure how much you need to shave off though, do a search iknow its in there...because veerytime ive done a 2gnt timing belt or HG ive always put in the arp studs just because bolts suck imo

edit: only the corner bolt needs to be shortened but i also have a crap load of extra bolts if you need them

So you can remove the studs without removing the cam? If that is so, could I just loosen the bolt then cover everything and lop off the head of the bolt and then put a stud in? If that won't work then I may need to talk to ya about those headbolts. I would need 2 of them more than likely. One for each car. I may decide to use all studs on the 99 though. I won't have to do it right away. I am gonna wait a while on it. The timing belt maint. isn't due just yet.

no you cant remove the studs themselves i dont think, you can just get off all the retaining nuts and then the head just slides off over the studs, in your case with the headbolts...you'll need to take off the intake cam, its really not to bad but you do have to have some timing belt skills and know the procedure for putting the head back together

Well I am more than sure I along with the help of my buddy can do this job without a hitch. I was just hoping I could find a little easier way. I just hate to be tearing into this car after we just got the timing service done.On a side note, How much do the MLS headgaskets run from the dealer? And is there anything I need to replace or any special things I need like sealants or seals when I reinstall the cam? I have just recently started working at AutoZone so the Chrysler HB Puller I can use for nothing.

well yea you might want a new cam seal and spark plug o rings between the valve cover and head while you're at it (depends on their condition) and another thing, make SURE you put all the cam caps back the same place you took them off, they have numbers so its not to difficult. do you have a chiltons? it shows the torque specs and order to put on the cam caps too. i'd coat the cam journals with some fresh engine oil so they're not dry when you start it up again. i know this is a PITA dude...i wish i was there to help, we'd have that whole car taken apart right now fixin that shit, i love workin on 420a's way to much anyway :D

edit: also, some people seem to have issues with an oil leak by the cam angle sensor, i just make sure to put some grey rtv right there everytime ive had my valve cover off just so im not backtracking.

mls is like...58 bucks? i dont remember exactly so dont take my word for it. call up bob kise :) he's THE man

I just replaced the valve cover gaskets on both of them a month or so ago. But didn't know about the cam angle sensor leak. I'll take note of that. And as far as Bob Kise being the man, I have already spoken to him about the tensioner and idler pullies and damn what a hookup. I thopugh it was like 10% off but The tensioner one is $80 or so and he told me $59. The other is like $40 something and he quoted me $25 so yeah I can agree with him being the man for sure. I wonder if I can get the cam seals at AZone? I need to start me a list and get my stuff together.