Help Diagnosing Oil leak

[rdezs]

.... Also, you'll know that your crank bolt has a rubber coating under the flange to prevent oil seeping out between the harmonic balancer and the crankshaft. If you reused your crankshaft bolt, that could be the culprit as well. It's also worth inspecting your oil cooler lines. They usually start seeping at the factory crimp about the area underneath your power steering pump. Other than that, you have the valley cover gasket and the timing cover gasket itself as well as valve cover gaskets. Don't be surprised if you find your valley cover bolts loose. Pretty common for them to loosen up. New gasket, and I use the blue loctite on the bolts.

 

[lspann3525]

No I didnt use the tool couldnt find one locally and needed to get the truck back on the road. The rear of the pan is dry. I am only seeing the oil build up near the front. sht fck it I went ahead and bought the aftermarket 12570427 seems to be identical to the GM version. Hopefully this will slow my oil consumption down some. Last time I opened the throttle door it was pretty oily so I think my engine had been sucking in oil.

Next time I drop the pan Im going to install the AFM oil deflector. I was hoping I didnt have to change the oil pan gasket again its a challenge changing it on the 4WD trucks but even more extensive dropping the transfer case then the transmission to get at the rear seal.

 

[lspann3525]

.... Also, you'll know that your crank bolt has a rubber coating under the flange to prevent oil seeping out between the harmonic balancer and the crankshaft. If you reused your crankshaft bolt, that could be the culprit as well. It's also worth inspecting your oil cooler lines. They usually start seeping at the factory crimp about the area underneath your power steering pump. Other than that, you have the valley cover gasket and the timing cover gasket itself as well as valve cover gaskets. Don't be surprised if you find your valley cover bolts loose. Pretty common for them to loosen up. New gasket, and I use the blue loctite on the bolts.

The crankshaft bolt has never been removed that I know of but ill give it a look inside the harmonic balancer to see if I can see something. There is no oil cooler there is a block plate on the side of oil pan.

The valve covers have been replaced. They are not leaking at all. Im unable to see the valley gasket. Im leaning towards a timing cover gasket. seeing that around the timing cover crankshaft area its sort of clean but all the outer area is covered.

Is the crank bolt re-usable and if I use a puller to remove the harmonic balancer more than likely its going to seperate so harmonic balancer cant be reused?

Just in case I have a crankcase issue due to the pcv system im going to try that aftermarket cover before I change the gaskets again.

 

[rdezs]

It shouldn't separate. Make sure you're using the correct puller for an LS engine. You want to pull on the center part of the balancer, never on the outer.

I use one of these:


Crankshaft bolt is a torque to yield, and yes you're supposed to use a new one each time.

 

[rdezs]

Most auto parts stores like Amazon have them in there loaner tool collection. They're not that expensive on Amazon.

 

[rdezs]

AutoZone, not Amazon. Damn Google voice

 

[donjetman]

@lspann3525
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/crankshaft-pulley-seal-bolt-replace.145675/

 

[lspann3525]

Received the new valve cover and gasket yesterday. I went ahead and changed the oil last night and installed the new valve cover.

Time to put some miles on the truck I'll report back.

 

[rdezs]

Judging from your old valve cover, you have a lot of engine blow by either past the rings or valve seals. Or simply a plugged PCV hose. Should look sort of golden inside. Below picture is an LS 6.0 at 120,000 miles, oil changes every 4,000 miles.



Had another set of heads on the shelf ready to go, and since I was pulling these off to change minor head gasket leak.... Put the other set of heads on with updated valve covers

 

[j91z28d1]

I agree that's a bit ugly inside. feels like it might be a good one to try the ring cleaning donjetman did to his?

or atleast might be a good candidate to test that new restore and protect cleaning oil on?