So - I’m still working with my ol’ '88, closing in on 300K miles, and I’m not going to do any major work on it…
As one of my favorite late 20th century philosophers, PeeWee Herman said, “Everyone’s got a big but Simon, let’s talk about you big but right now…”
My “big but” is - There is oil leaking out the front of the engine some where. Not the valve cover, and it’s not burning it, but it’s all over the front and blows back on the sides and the belts fling it about…
So, my question is: Do any of you fine folk have unique suggestions to steam the tide? I’ve tried some of the usual additives with no success. A guy at the parts shop suggested this supper thick stuff, saying it might slow it down… As of now I’m adding a quart every other fill up, and spreading far more than my fair share of it every where I go… Help?
Where at on the front? Top-bottom-left-right? Have you tried washing the engine then looking where this leak might be?
What oil is the one you are replenishing the most? Power steering, or engine oil?
Check the oil sending unit.
Ed B.
It’s engine oil, It seems to be coming from the drivers side, below the valve cover level. I tried cleaning it once, but after a short drive it was all over again. Next time I’ll clean it and let it run for while.
What and where is the “oil sending unit?” Sorry to sound so ignorant, but this is one I don’t know of - is the the oil pump?
The oil pressure sending unit is the thing that operates the oil pressure warning light. The OP sending unit screws into the engine and has an electrical wire connected to it.
Baring taking it to someone - How can I know where the oil pressure sending unit is? One thing I can tell is, the sensor is working/the pressure isn’t getting low, as I didn’t realize how bad the leak was till the oil light came on, and it was two quarts low… Yikes!
I looked extensively, when I got this car, for a manual, and was told, since they didn’t make very many of these cars, they never made a manual for public consumption. Once I asked the auto shop teacher in the school I worked in years ago about something on my car, and he had access to an on-line manual, for which he said the school paid a pretty penny.
Anyway - Thanks again for the input. Any suggestions on a good way to clean the oil off everything so I can try to sus out where the leak is coming from?
Taylor
Try http://www.fixya.com/cars/t1620824-installing_mechanical_oil_pressure_gauge for the sending unit location. The oil sending unit on my 93 Caprice was working when it was leaking. My mechanic noticed the leak during an oil change.
Ed B.
With 300K miles and not wanting to spend much
$$, I would do as others recommend, find out where the leak is coming from. If it’s an oil sending unit, those can be had and changed cheap. If it is a gasket, like valve cover gasket, it’s worth fixing (yourself). If its a front main seal, probably not worth fixing. I’d add a can of STP or some other “honey” type of oil or oil conditioner which will thicken everything up, and give you worse fuel milage, which you’re not concerned with. It will take longer in the mornings to warm up also, which you’re not concerned with. But you want to do this on the cheap, there’s only so many ways to do so.