Mystery oil leak

[Alycone]

I have an oil leak my mechanic can't locate. I'm not loosing oil very fast, but I am loosing it. My mech said he found a puddle of oil on the top left side of the engine block but couldn't tell where it came from. It's slow so it's probably not a big deal, but I'd like to figure out what's leaking. Before this, I'd been leak free for almost a year. Any idea what's dripping?

[svx_commuter]

Do you see oil dripping on the floor or is the level just going down?

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by Alycone
I have an oil leak my mechanic can't locate. I'm not loosing oil very fast, but I am loosing it. My mech said he found a puddle of oil on the top left side of the engine block but couldn't tell where it came from. It's slow so it's probably not a big deal, but I'd like to figure out what's leaking. Before this, I'd been leak free for almost a year. Any idea what's dripping?

The top left side of the engine is where the oil fill tube is located. It's possible that, lacking a better explanation, oil was just spilled the last time it was changed. I guess the only way you can find out for sure is to clean it up and see if it comes back.

[Alycone]

The oil fill tube was one possibility my mech considered, but the area around the filler is squeaky clean and my car is using up oil. After I got my valve cover gaskets repaired a bit over a year ago, the oil level would stay perfectly constant between fills, now I have to add oil.

[svx_commuter]

How many miles on the engine? How much oil do you add in 3000 miles and have you replaced the o-ring between oil filler pipe and valve cover? Dude

[Alycone]

I have a '92 with 165,000mi, with almost 10,000mi on the new valve cover gaskets. I need to add 1 to 1 1/2 qts in 3,000 mi. My tailpipes are puffing clean, my mileage is excellent, car runs great (although the hood is a bit smelly from a recent ps hose incident), so I'm not worried, I just don't like mysteries. Maybe I need to wait until the leak gets faster before I can locate it. I guess it's not proven that oil missing is the same oil in the puddle. Haven't changed the filler O, should I?

[svx_commuter]

The o-ring on the filler pipe could be a leak if it's never been replaced. That will leak only when the SVX is running and more so when it's pushed.

I have been added a 1/2 qt of Marvel Mystery Oil at evry oil change. I think this has helped decrease the oil consumption after about 9,000 miles of use and 3 changes. I think it cleaned out the piston rings (oil usage) and valve lifters (cold tapping).

At the rate your at, 1 to 1-1/2 qts of oil per 3,000 miles with 165,000 miles on the engine is okay in my opinion.

[Alycone]

The leak is getting faster, and my exhaust doesn't look as clean.

There doesn't seem to be any oil around the filler pipe.

Originally posted by svx_commuter
The o-ring on the filler pipe could be a leak if it's never been replaced. That will leak only when the SVX is running and more so when it's pushed.

I have been added a 1/2 qt of Marvel Mystery Oil at every oil change. I think this has helped decrease the oil consumption after about 9,000 miles of use and 3 changes. I think it cleaned out the piston rings (oil usage) and valve lifters (cold tapping).

At the rate your at, 1 to 1-1/2 qts of oil per 3,000 miles with 165,000 miles on the engine is okay in my opinion.

My father asked me to respond to this one (He's been reading here and is considering buying a 96 Laguna Blue SVX LSi in mint condition that a friend of mine is selling, because he needs to be able to move around in snow with his job and his 93 Crown Vic with the Mustang engine and police package, as you can imagine, won't)

Marvel Mystery Oil is total garbage according to him. He said that they haven't changed the formula in forever, and it was great in simple, old engines, but causes problems with seals and gaskets in new ones.

In his 95 Chrysler Voyager, it was burning about a 1/2 a quart of oil every oil change. He put the stuff in, and it seemed to work after a few oil changes. When cold weather came along, huge puffs of blue smoke came out of his exhaust pipes. Oil usage went up to a quart every 2 fill ups. He had the engine rebuilt, and was told that the seals in the engine were not worn, but discentergrated. Not good.

His suggestion if I remember correctly was to get your oil changed immediately with 10W30 oil of any kind, and add RESTORE 6 cylinder formula oil additive and lubricant (should fill in the areas that leaks could be coming from). Leave that in for 2,000 miles, then after that, from now on, use a high quality high mileage formula 10W40 oil (such as Pennzoil High Mileage formula 10W40 from Jiffy Lube...that's what he uses), as they can do more damage than good when used constantly in the long run. Good luck...try it and tell us how it turns out.

[Subafreak]

If the small puddle of oil in top of the motor is under the intake it's probly comming from the IRIS valve. Mine leaks a very little bit too but dosn't seem to affect anything, my car dosn't use any oil between changes. I agree with not using the "mystery oil" I think it's good for freeing up seized small blocks but I don't think it would do anything for oil usage on the EG. I also don't think it had anything to do with the seals on a 3.0L Voyager but thats a different story.


I hope you not loosing the rings or valve seals, there are alot of high mileage SVX's out there with no oil burning issuse, but I guess it all depends on the previous owners.