Thread: Engine oil leak, need some opinions.

The GTP has been leaking oil for a while now. It's definitely coming from the timing cover at the crank seal. The problem is that we've replaced the seal 4 times already and put a brand new balancer too and it still leaks.

We took off the timing chain cover today to see if there's anything else wrong with it and this is what we found:





The cover seems to be worn from the inside. Everything else is in perfect condition, all seals were replaced a few months back when we swapped camshafts.

Now my question is if this wear on the inside of the cover can cause for some extra oil to leak into the seal? We really don't know what to change besides this part.

Originally Posted by dsmuts

Do you have a double roller?

Nope, it has a stock timing chain.

I was hoping someone else might have had this problem too. I'm thinking of getting a new timming chain cover, but I don't know where can I get one. Rockauto doesn't seem to have them, I'll ask at the dealership, although I bet it's going to be too expensive. Anyone else know where I can order one?

I couldn't find anything posted by Agrazela refering oil leaks, but it does helps to know that this should not be causing an oil leak. The stealership wants 600 dollars for a timing cover lol.

That seal has been there for at least 2 months now. I don't think it's going to conform to the crank anytime soon, the leak is getting worse over time. I went to the beach this weekend like 800 KM round trip and it tossed 1 quart of oil during the trip.

found something here though:

BonnevillePRO.com • View topic - My topswapped, lightly modded L26 thread

I don't think so, it says something like this, but with pictures:

Pulled the HB. Here's the two side-by-side, old L36 on left, L26 on right:

The 100+k mile L36 HB shows definite scoring from it's seal:

The <1k mile L26 HB had no scoring I could find, but did have some gunky crap far enough up the shaft that it might well have been interfering with the seal. I cleaned up the shaft with a dremel and soft steel brush attachment:

I pulled the oil seal and found some gouges in the surface of the front cover, behind the "face" of the outer rim of the seal, over by the CKP sensor:

Missed those gouges during the build.
To be safe, I RTV'd behind the rim of the new seal:

Installed (you can see the RTV from my oil filter adapter fix, too):

Reinstalled the L26 HB. I'll let that RTV set overnight, fire it up and see if it stops the oil leak.

this one talks about sleeves:

Found cause of ubiquitous 3800 rear cover leak? [Archive] - GM Forum - Buick, Cadillac, Chev, Olds, GMC & Pontiac chat

Dont mean to bring a therad back but having same issue and i found these at O'Reilly's
Crank sleeve:
National 99328 - Redi-Sleeve | O'Reilly Auto Parts
Harmmnic ballancer Seleeve:
Fel-Pro 16216 - Harmonic Balancer Repair Sleeve | O'Reilly Auto Parts