[Shotimes] Small oil leak?

[Donald Mallinson]

It is highly unlikely that in a typical 3000-4000 mile oil 
change interval that a leak could cause enough loss to show 
up on the dip stick, certainly not near a quart.  It takes a 
HUGE leak to cause noticable loss.

As to why you are seeing more oil on the floor, shorter 
trips and more garage time equals more drips on the floor. 
As oil leaks slowly past the front and rear seals, it coats 
the pan and other things.  When you drive long trips, it can 
blow off and won't drip as much on the floor.  On shorter 
trips the oil still coats the pan, but doesn't have as much 
time to blow away, so it winds up on the floor.  Leaks don't 
happen when the motor is off, just oil drips down that has 
already gotten on things.

As to oil level, be sure to check it at the same time of 
day, in the same location (garage right before first start 
of the morning is ideal) to get the most accurate fill.

What type of oil are you using?  Some conventional oils will 
literally "boil away" with heat and you might think it is 
going through the motor.  This is one thing most synthetics 
are excellent at, they won't boil away, thus usually oil use 
goes "down" when switching to synthetic.

Typical leak locations with the SHO V6 are the front and 
rear crank seals, but also leaks can develop on the oil 
level sensor on the pan, right above the oil fill plug, and 
with the oil pressure sensor, on the block on the firewall 
side, under the head, about mid-block.  But when these leak, 
they usually leak a LOT, and you won't be saying you see a 
"bit" of oil on the floor but a puddle.  No THAT is enough 
to cause oil level to dip noticably.

Don Mallinson

Chris \"Zap\" wrote:

> This seems to be an odd issue, as the SHO sits around more than it did
> before (I'm at school and not working at a far away place most days of the
> week), but I have noticed that it would always lose a bit of oil and I would
> have to top it off.  However, more recently, it seems that because it sits,
> I am actually seeing a bit of oil on the floor of the garage.  The other
> thing that seems odd is that usual oil level is always in the very bottom of
> the hashed area of the dipstick (normal range) when I go to fill it.  I was
> curious if this might be a crank seal, or maybe there is another common seal
> problem that I have not come across in the postings yet.  Any help is
> appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Chris
> '95 Emerald Green MTX
> _______________________________________________
> Shotimes mailing list
> Shotimes@autox.team.net
> http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes