F!!!! Oil Leak...

[Daniel_Mc]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[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.

[Daniel_Mc]

Thanks Jerry!
It looks like it would be right in line with the frame maybe the right socket and a swivel could get the job done if no possibly undo a motor mount and rock it to one side?

Daniel

BTW great talking with you this past weekend that 415 is SWEET!!!

[GOLDCYLON]

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

[Paul Workman]

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!)

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.

[Daniel_Mc]

GOLDCYLON,
If it is the Oil cooler lines I may try and make them myself out of some SS line it doesn't look to bad and I have done it with several other parts similar to that IDK if not I will defiantly take you up on that offer! I am not worried about "original" this car is far from it.

Paul,
That sounds easy enough but I am worried that the additional frame bracing on this car will get in the way... It looks to be forward of the sensor but I still may be in for some fun with this LOL

Daniel