What would cause oil to drip out from between the bell housing and engine? I noticed a little drip in the garage yesterday and checked it out. I thought it might have been a little clutch fluid since I just changed the hard lines but I noticed oil gathered where the bell house gets bolted up to the engine. Now I do have a super small leak from the Turbo return to the spacer and where it feeds the Turbo from below the filter and honestly the lower pan may need to be redone because the JWT spacer also has a slight leak. Those are little things and can be repaired easily but if the oil collecting in the bell housing can not be from one of those things I'm scared I will need to drop the tranny and get repaired whatever you guru's think it might be..

 

Rear main seal?

 

It's probably something sucky like that. I seriously hope the motor doesn't need to be pulled.

 

It's most likey the rear main seal. Very common thing to leak on a re-built VQ since it's a real ***** to install right. Motor doesn't have to be pulled to replace it just the trans, but if it's not leaking bad I would consider leaving it alone because the chance of it leaking again worse after replacement is pretty good.

 

Clean everything well and follow up on the small leaks you are aware of and see if you can tell any better. From the description you gave, it sounds like a rear main seal (which requires the tranny to be pulled, but the engine can stay in). I would clean everything well to make sure that it isn't something else like a small leak on the back of the valvecovers dripping down.

Good luck.

 

I had a similar leak, oil dripping from the bell housing and I immediately thought rear main seal. Turned out it was oil from the turbo drain lines that migrated back to the bell housing during driving. I just tightened the drain lines and leak was gone. I'd suggest fixing the known leaks before going after the rear main seal.

 

i have seen this many times, usually a rear main seal, but i find this so impossible to believe, i installed this rear main seal on this engine myslef, and i go through several steps to make sure that it seals perfectly...

i pull the dowel pins, lube up the seal like crazy, put it on 3 or 4 times as a test to make sure the spring is intact/ no curling of the rubber seal...then it is installed, and dowel pins are tapped in...
so rule out other causes, possibly a drip from elsewhere... if it does need to be changes, can be done in a few hours on a lift, pull tranny. flywheel, and then the right way is to drop the upper oil pan, but it can be done without dropping the pain.... if it is a small drip, clean it up and watch it, don;t jump the gun yet

TODD

 

Another possibility, albeit remote, is the input shaft seal on the trans.

 

Thanks guy I am considering either removing the JWT spacer of getting it welded together to stop those leaks. I will try to take some pics later to show whats up

 

Never thought of that I will smell the oil later..lol

 

Theres a big diff in trans fluid on your floor and engine oil on the floor----Color, Smell, Viscosity

Also--sometimes a rear main isnt leaking in the seal area, Its leaking past the outside perimeter due to improper installation and sealing.

 

Even with a perfectly installed rear main, there is a chance that some oil will blow by the seal, due to increased blowby and crankcase pressures from forced induction. I tiny leak (nothing on the ground) is typically nothing to worry about. If you have a good sized puddle, then you might want to take a look at it.

 

True also. A perfectly designed seal/packing under ideal conditions will leak a minute amount in order to keep it lubed so it doesnt burn up from friction, add to it a little extra back pressure ( Boost, Overfiil, Clogged vent system ) and you will get a noticable residue, on up to an occasional drip.
Just keep an eye on it

 

Like what's already been said, most likely the rear main seal. Or (in the case of my Eclipse) you coulda punched a hole through the tranny and it could actually be gear lube. When that **** is old and ready to be changed it looks just like old oil.

 

If the crankcase vents are obstructed could the case be so pressurized as to force oil out the rear seal?

 

the chances of the leak being caused by blow by is very small. but, if the vents are closed off, pressure will have to go somewhere. typically, it will be the valve cover seals though that will leak. oil pressures will almost always be higher than case pressures, unless vents are blocked and allowed to build pressure, or you have broken ringlands and getting tons of blow-by.
prolly just the rear seal though.

 

Oil pressure and Crank Case Pressure are Apples and Oranges. I have never had the need to find out what would be an excessive CCP cuz ----WHY ? But I would think high would be in the 2-5 PSI area. Thats isnt much, but enough to create a small leak at a seal.
I threw out the clogged vent system and overfilled senario only because it is a possibility, not that I thought it was the problem here, if there is a problem.