Oil Leak around filter?

[tuck16]

A couple months ago I notices a few drops of oil on the garage floor where the Yukon normally parks. When the wife returned, I crawled under there and noticed an oil drip formed on the bottom of the filter. I wiped it off and tried to hand tighten the filter, but it was on OK. Took it to the dealer a week later to have a couple warranty items fixed and told them to change the oil and investigate the leak. They told me that since i wasn't below 15% oil life left, they would have to charge me for oil change. I said really, ok then fix the filter issue and she realized she couldn't do that without losing a decent amount of oil so they acquiesced. Everything seemed good.
Now a couple days ago there is more than a couple drips, it looks like a tablespoon of oil, same spot from the filter, what the heck is possibly going on? Thanks.

 

[osiris94ej]

Degrease the area of suspected leak and area around it, up above on the block. Get it clean and run the vehicle and let it get warm. Check to see if you can see it running out of the area around the filter. My guess would be either poor cleanup last service or the o-ring on the filter isn't sealing properly.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[tuck16]

I was thinking that it might be damaged/stripped filter mounting threads? Then the filter isn't tightening flush, but at a slight angle and over time the rubber seal fails at the point on the circle with the least pressure?
Either way, yes clean it up and look for actual leakage.

 

[osiris94ej]

It could be possible that the threads are stripped but very unlikely. The filter is made of a weaker metal and would destroy the filters threads first. But what I was saying about poor cleanup is that oil can collect around lip of the filter and the o-ring. As the car warms up this oil will expand and overflow due to the orientation of how the filter is on the engine. I have seen this because of lazy techs not allowing that old oil to drain out nor wiping the filter base clean and as they put the new filter on without cleaning or letting it finish draining it collects on new filter and creates a "leak" symtom to the customer.

But why I said to clean it really good is because it's not uncommon for the oil pan gasket to leak on any of the LS based engines.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[Rob Loww]

My truck was doing the exact same thing. I took it to the dealer and it was the rear main seal.

 

[tuck16]

Is that something i can see if I'm under there after I've wiped everything down and the truck is on ramps?

 

[osiris94ej]

The rear main leak you can take the tq converter cover off the lower belhousing and look up behind the flex plate. If it's wet with oil then you have a leak. If it's dry then not from there.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[#1taho]

Do you know if you have an oil cooler or not ? On my 2000 taho it doesn't have an oil cooler and the spot where it goes has a cover. It was leaking so bad I would loose 4 litre between changes and left a mess everywhere. It is located about 1" above the oil filer. Quick and easy check.

 

[tuck16]

So even if i don't have the cooler, it could be leaking from the spot where it would be plumbed in if i did or only leaking from there if i do have the cooler?

 

[#1taho]

So even if i don't have the cooler, it could be leaking from the spot where it would be plumbed in if i did or only leaking from there if i do have the cooler?

Yeah. That's my thought. I have a engine on a stand in my garage. I will snap a pic and post it for you.

Have you changed the filter ?