So this isn’t good, right?

[Doubeleive]

Literally pricing a new motor right now… grrrr.

don't even trip, it's a small oil leak.
just need to find out where from, I would say worst case scenario rear main. which just means the transmission has to come out and back in, adding $600 labor cost to a $14 part.

 

[Fernando Escobar]

Literally pricing a new motor right now… grrrr.

We all been there don't worry. Your Valve Covers look good. Try looking at the VLOM (the thing under the Air Intake. My Bolts for this contraption were looser than....(do not continue with this joke or get banned). I could rotate all bolts by hand and was causing me a headache. With a telescoping mirror behind the air intake see if the oil trail lead you there. This might be a cheaper fix than a Main Oil Seal.

 

[89Suburban]

So let's for the sake of argument say it is the oil pan gasket is shot. That would be exacerbated by the vomiting oil pressure relive valve without the deflector on it as well wouldn't it?

 

[j91z28d1]

So let's for the sake of argument say it is the oil pan gasket is shot. That would be exacerbated by the vomiting oil pressure relive valve without the deflector on it as well wouldn't it?

if you look at the gasket, the 2 ports running in and out of the filter run right near there thru the pan gasket. 60psi oil is more likely to leak than the oil spaying out of the relief. the deflector I believe keeps it from spaying on the cyl wall. help keep it from over welcoming the oil ring not so much the gaskets.

most of the time the oil pan gasket is fine, it's a good design. there's just a small groove where the rear cover and pan surface meet. gm could have done anything better with it, but they just slapped on some of what seems to be the least oil resistance rtv avaliable to them and somewhere around 10-12 years old they start seeping. last one I did the pan gasket o'ring went back to round after a few mins. more than enough flex left to seal.

if gm sealed the corners with some rtv like Hondabond they wouldn't leak for 50 years haha.

 

[clogan2]

After 180,000 miles? It would have to be a lot bigger leak than that before I'd mess with it. Why not just drive it until you need to add oil, then dig into it? It might very well go another 180 as it is.
Just keep an eye on it, and keep the underside cleaned off once in a while.