F!!!! Oil Leak... - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Daniel_Mc · 05-17-2011

Ok, I just got the ZR-1 home yesterday and unloaded and went to fuel it up and take a short spin since I didn?t get to do much driving at Bowling Green this past weekend. I went from my home, about a mile, to the fuel station and from there about 3 miles until I stopped. During the last mile I thought I smelled something however everything was reading normal and sounded normal (I was not beating on the car it wasn?t even up to temp yet). I pulled into another station just to check (I am paranoid a lot of times over things). Well when I did I noticed an oil trail behind the car. I had been under the car at The Gathering and it was clean with no leaks and the trailer is dry and the spot where I parked the ZR-1 in the shop is also dry as well. After it sat for about 3 to 5 minutes I rolled it forward to get a good idea of how much was leaking, below is some pictures of what I had. I have been searching the forums and found where a oil low pressure sensor could cause a leak but I do not know if it would be to this magnitude. Would this be an oil cooler line possibly? The Oil filter is dry along with the pan the only oil on the pan is what was blown there. The leak appears to be coming from the front right side of the motor. Could this be what I am looking for?
GM Part # is: 12555492
Oil temp sensor - 90-91 10096136
Oil pressure ECM ? 25036935

This is the best picture I could find (Thanks Jeffvette) would this be the sensor barely visiable at the bottom?

Thanks,

GOLDCYLON · 05-17-2011

Check your oil cooler lines as well as they are in the same area as the "oil low" sensor just a little more forward. Also check the oil pan bolts as they tend to loosen.

tccrab · 05-17-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

Check your oil cooler lines as well as they are in the same area as the "oil low" sensor just a little more forward. Also check the oil pan bolts as they tend to loosen.

I agree with our Cycloptic Moderator, these are the "Usual Suspects".
If the bottom radiator hose is oily, it's the oil cooler hoses.
If it's dripping from the back of the oil pan, it's the pan bolts.
If it's coming from the weep tube at the bellhousing, it's coming from under the plenum.
Rule these items out before you go messing around with the oil pressure/temp sensors.

TomC
'Crabs

mike100 · 05-17-2011

The oil cooler lines, if leaking at the front crimp, can run down the side of the cooler and into the bottom shroud area. You can collect a whole qt down there, it takes days to stop leaking even after you repair the lines.

Daniel_Mc · 05-17-2011

GOLDCYLON,
I will check them all tonight if they are the culprit would it be ok to just go with SS instead of the stockers? I do not think it is the pan bolts Marc H. just checked those last spring.

tccrab,
I am fairly sure the bottom radiator hose was oily the motor is dry along with the bellhousing. Everything is in the front of the motor and lower fan shroud.

mike100,
I was planning to pull the radiator any how to clean out whatever is trapped in there so I will just tackle it at the same time as well. I have had those GM crimped lines fail on my track car numerous times I finally just started making my own hoses and solved that problem all together.

Thank you all for the guidance!!

Daniel

GOLDCYLON · 05-17-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel_Mc

GOLDCYLON,
I will check them all tonight if they are the culprit would it be ok to just go with SS instead of the stockers? I do not think it is the pan bolts Marc H. just checked those last spring.

tccrab,
I am fairly sure the bottom radiator hose was oily the motor is dry along with the bellhousing. Everything is in the front of the motor and lower fan shroud.

mike100,
I was planning to pull the radiator any how to clean out whatever is trapped in there so I will just tackle it at the same time as well. I have had those GM crimped lines fail on my track car numerous times I finally just started making my own hoses and solved that problem all together.

Thank you all for the guidance!!

Daniel

Daniel the SS oil cooler lines are NLA im not sure if anybody else is making them. The last set here were sold by Jeffvette im not sure if anybody is maing them at the moment. There is a repro set available on Ebay at the $180 Price point @ http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CORVE...Q5fAccessories

These are being offered by Jerry a forum member here. I also have a nice original used set that dont leak if thats what you are looking for original as well that I would let go for $120 shipped. Let us know what you find out. GC

A26B · 05-17-2011

Nice to have met you in BG!!

If not the oil cooler lines:

In this photo, you can see the sensor that typically fails, causing an oil leak in that area. It is under the oil filter, above where the arrow is pointing, and angles downward. Pretty hard to get to, but can be done with the right tool configuration. This sensor is for the low oil pressure light.

Paul Workman · 05-17-2011

I can attest to the fact that if the low (idiot light) pressure sensor (the black sensor just above the yellow arrowhead in Jerry's photo) blows, it can pump a lot of oil out in a short time. (Pull the connector plug and look for oil to pour out of the weather pack connector housing. If wet, you know for sure it has been leaking!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by A26B

I fussed around for quite a while, trying to figure out access to that little beotch. But, in the end, I found that had I removed middle fender pannel and the oil filter housing in the first place, it might have been a 30-45 min job. As it was, it took hours of fussing before figuring out how best to get to it.

Pulling the center fender pannel may not even be necessary, come to think of it!

FWIW,

P.

VetteMed · 05-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by A26B

Nice to have met you in BG!!

If not the oil cooler lines:

In this photo, you can see the sensor that typically fails, causing an oil leak in that area. It is under the oil filter, above where the arrow is pointing, and angles downward. Pretty hard to get to, but can be done with the right tool configuration. This sensor is for the low oil pressure light.

In this pic, what is the plate that the arrow is pointing to? And what size are the bolts that secure it?

Thanks
Andrew

-=Jeff=- · 05-26-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by VetteMed

In this pic, what is the plate that the arrow is pointing to? And what size are the bolts that secure it?

Thanks
Andrew

7mm or 8mm and yes oil can leak from there. if you can get to it.. let me know how, I want to check mine as well

05-17-2011	#1
Daniel_Mc Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pineville, LA Posts: 586	F!!!! Oil Leak... Ok, I just got the ZR-1 home yesterday and unloaded and went to fuel it up and take a short spin since I didn?t get to do much driving at Bowling Green this past weekend. I went from my home, about a mile, to the fuel station and from there about 3 miles until I stopped. During the last mile I thought I smelled something however everything was reading normal and sounded normal (I was not beating on the car it wasn?t even up to temp yet). I pulled into another station just to check (I am paranoid a lot of times over things). Well when I did I noticed an oil trail behind the car. I had been under the car at The Gathering and it was clean with no leaks and the trailer is dry and the spot where I parked the ZR-1 in the shop is also dry as well. After it sat for about 3 to 5 minutes I rolled it forward to get a good idea of how much was leaking, below is some pictures of what I had. I have been searching the forums and found where a oil low pressure sensor could cause a leak but I do not know if it would be to this magnitude. Would this be an oil cooler line possibly? The Oil filter is dry along with the pan the only oil on the pan is what was blown there. The leak appears to be coming from the front right side of the motor. Could this be what I am looking for? GM Part # is: 12555492 Oil temp sensor - 90-91 10096136 Oil pressure ECM ? 25036935 This is the best picture I could find (Thanks Jeffvette) would this be the sensor barely visiable at the bottom? Thanks, __________________ [COLOR=black]Daniel McGuffee [/COLOR] [B]1989[/B] Red Coupe #10166 [COLOR=black][B]1989 [/B]Black[/COLOR][COLOR=black] Coupe #23990[/COLOR] [COLOR=black][B]1991[/B] ZR-1 White #1639[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]FRANK APPROVED ZR-1[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red][COLOR=black]1996[/COLOR] G[/COLOR][COLOR=blue]rand[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]S[/COLOR][COLOR=blue]port[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=black]Coupe #564[/COLOR] ======================================== "It's not about the car, it's about the people..." DJ Don't forget to support your [URL="http://corvettemuseum.com/"]National Corvette Museum[/URL]!!!

05-17-2011	#2
GOLDCYLON Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 9,155	Re: F!!!! Oil Leak... Check your oil cooler lines as well as they are in the same area as the "oil low" sensor just a little more forward. Also check the oil pan bolts as they tend to loosen. __________________ GOLDCYLON - 91 ZR-1 #2014 GOLDCYLON - 90 ZR-1 #2794, 4L60e (Formerly Schrade's) GOLDCYLON - 11 CTS-V Arizona State Director 91 WHITE/BLACK #2014. 380 P&P&PCed,Ported Heads, Jeal Long tubes, Corsa Exhaust/FIKSE FM-5s /LED TLs, LED Headlights, Front Wilwood 6 piston narrowlite calipers and rear Wilwood caliper street shop mod,CNCed Coolant Pipes,TPI Cvr,Filter cover,Stainless Bolts, DRM/DOM PROM /ZFDOC mod build #102,DRLs,BMAD with stainless Debris Screen,Coplan Air Blaster, Pioneer APP Radio 4,Brey-Krause HB,Sub Bar,Fire extinguisher seat mount,DRM Coilovers,LEDs everywhere,Compass mirror (orange),V1 DIC hidden display, Homelink sun visor, Carbon Fiber top x3 and APSIS Carbon Fiber interior, APSIS CF Steering Wheel/NAPA Leather, Banski trailing arms, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension) ZFDoc drive shaft safety loop, raptor shift light (orange),AO engineering louver front plate, Console seat cushion, 96CE seats with black custom Sheepskins, ss billet catch can,Viper remote entry/alarm,Cragar Rear Louvers,LED side louver lights, Dewitts Radiator with SPAL fans and a Woods 160 T-Stat 90 RED/BLACK #2794. 4L60e Automatic Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless Headers, Corsa Exhaust, SAN Secondaries and Haibeck PROM, Exotic Muscle Coil overs, LED Interior Lights, LED Tail Lights, LED Headlights, 94 Sport seats with black custom Sheepskins , Cragar rear louvers, GS Front calipers, Banski Trailing arms, APSIS Carbon Fiber steering wheel, Front and Rear Baer Eradispeeds, DRLs, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension), Dewitt's Raditor with Dual SPAL fans and a Haibeck 170 T-Stat 11 RED/GREY CTS-V

05-17-2011	#4
mike100 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Marcos CA Posts: 1,802	Re: F!!!! Oil Leak... The oil cooler lines, if leaking at the front crimp, can run down the side of the cooler and into the bottom shroud area. You can collect a whole qt down there, it takes days to stop leaking even after you repair the lines.

05-17-2011	#5
Daniel_Mc Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pineville, LA Posts: 586	Re: F!!!! Oil Leak... GOLDCYLON, I will check them all tonight if they are the culprit would it be ok to just go with SS instead of the stockers? I do not think it is the pan bolts Marc H. just checked those last spring. tccrab, I am fairly sure the bottom radiator hose was oily the motor is dry along with the bellhousing. Everything is in the front of the motor and lower fan shroud. mike100, I was planning to pull the radiator any how to clean out whatever is trapped in there so I will just tackle it at the same time as well. I have had those GM crimped lines fail on my track car numerous times I finally just started making my own hoses and solved that problem all together. Thank you all for the guidance!! Daniel

05-17-2011	#7
A26B Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Arcadia,OK Posts: 3,394	Re: F!!!! Oil Leak... Nice to have met you in BG!! If not the oil cooler lines: In this photo, you can see the sensor that typically fails, causing an oil leak in that area. It is under the oil filter, above where the arrow is pointing, and angles downward. Pretty hard to get to, but can be done with the right tool configuration. This sensor is for the low oil pressure light. __________________ Jerry Downey JERRYS LT5 GASKETS & PARTS http://www.jerrysgaskets.com 1994 *ZR-1*, Black/Black, Lingenfelter Aerobody, 416cu in, 3.91 gears, coil-over susp, Brembo brakes, etc. 2016 Black-Red, 3LT-Z51 Auto 8-speed.