Leaking oil low oil pressure switch

[PhillipsLT5]

Mine blew also, 3/4 quart everywhere in 20 min, change all 3 sensors gasket and drained coolant

[Don in VT]

Hi Cliff,

Thanks for the heads up on the OPRV. I will check that as well and consider the plumbing for the oil port as noted in your item #2.

I do have one question, does the cover need a gasket ? Can I reuse the old one with a little sealant. The cover torque must be close to 20 in/lbs, correct ?

Thanks again

Don

[Don in VT]

Hi,

Lots of progress. Fixed a flaky vacuum connection under the plenum. It was the ported vac signal from the TB extension to the evap vacuum circuit. There was a hairline crack right at the entrance to the rubber connector. Looked OK but wasn't (second one of those I found, the other leak, of that nature, was at the secondary vacuum pump connection.

The new oil pressure switch and FH gasket will be here today and the replacement of the filter housing should go smooth. I did have to drain the coolant down to the level of the lower water pump inlet. The lower hose was in the way of getting the bottom bolt for the FH. I am sure that the hose, being a Samco, could be compressed but I just did not want to mess with it so I drained the coolant.

A special thanks to Dynomite for his heads up on the OPRV cover. The bolts were loose. Blue loctite and torque and I am good to go. Thanks Cliff.

An Aside here with respect the the plastic lines. We all know they age and some age faster then others. I have found that I needed to spend time with a vacuum pump and small stoppers to find all the bad lines. I flex every joint under vacuum and watch the vac gauge. I found that you can't just look at the line and spot the hairline cracks.

If, during the reassembly, I find anything worthy of passing on, I will add it to this thread.

Cheers

Don

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by Don in VT

An Aside here with respect the the plastic lines. We all know they age and some age faster then others. I have found that I needed to spend time with a vacuum pump and small stoppers to find all the bad lines. I flex every joint under vacuum and watch the vac gauge. I found that you can't just look at the line and spot the hairline cracks.

Good test idea. Last time I was under there I just replaced all of the cheap connectors.

On the pressure sensor. I examined the old one and found that the crimp put on the end was insufficient. I recrimped it on the vise using a socket over the end. No leaks since then (1999).

[Don in VT]

Hi Everyone,

Earlier in the thread I mentioned that if something jumped out at me I would pass it on. Well something did.

But first, the reassembly of the right side of the motor went text book. it is all back together and running fine. I will hold my breath and look in the drip pan for any leaks tomorrow AM. I drove the ZR hard from Fairfax, VT to Burlington, VT and back (65 miles) and it seemed to pass the first smoke test.

Now on to the interesting find. When it came time to refill the system I tried Mark H's procedure and filled the system with the ZR jacked up on the right side about 18" so that the reservoir is much higher and is the very high point of the system. The method is the only way to go if you have a floor jack capable of raising the car high enough. IT IS A REALLY SLICK WAY TO GO AS THE SYSTEM REALLY FILLS VERY FAST AND I DID NOT GET A WP AIR LOCK.

Thanks Mark for the great filling procedure.

More Later

Don

[scottfab]

Wow who knew there could be so many different ways to do this task.
I simply leave the driver's side TB coolant hose pointing up in the air.
When fluid comes out on that side, I'm done.
It's bled and all done.
No jacking on the side or front or anywhere else.

[Don in VT]

Hi Everyone,

Well, the pain,drama,whatever is over. All leaks are fixed and to the best of my knowledge they are fixed properly. Now all I have to do is check the bolts from time to time, watch the (no longer needed) drip pan.

I want to thank everyone that submitted a reply to this thread regarding the oil leaks at the right front of the engine. I learned a lot and I did the fixes myself which is a big deal for this 78 year old motor head. This took me back to my first Corvette, a 1954 with the good old Blue Flame 6. BTW it leaked oil too.

This chapter is closed.

Cheers to you all and have a great summer

Don in VT

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by Don in VT

This took me back to my first Corvette, a 1954 with the good old Blue Flame 6. BTW it leaked oil too.

Good for you Don.
I got the bug in the late 50s. My earliest memories of a vett was a 54 too.
Watched my dad and a friend of his work on the rear end.
All I remember was how cool it looked to get all greasy/oily.
I was 3 or 4.
You're only as old as you can turn a wrench.