Please help

G

Gator007

New LVC Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2017
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Virginia beach
I changed the oil on my 04 LS v8 and had no issues or leaks, today while backing out I noticed there was oil on the ground.

Upon inspection I didnt see any leaks from the pan or filter, I popped the hood and saw the orgin of the leak.

Can anyone tell me why it would be leaking from here & what part is this? :/

20170207_131146.jpg


20170207_131152.jpg


20170207_131217.jpg
 
Are you certain that it is oil under the car and not coolant? There shouldn't be any oil that far forward, but a coolant leak there is not too uncommon. Other possibilities would be power steering or transmission (Mercon V in both cases).

The part that you are showing on the valve cover is the VCT solenoid. It controls valve timing. There is a very easy to replace $10 seal that you need to change to eliminate that seepage of oil. I'll bet the other one is doing it too. Anyway, it's hard to imagine enough oil leaking from there for it to drip down. Unless you mostly drive in reverse at high speed, that's not where the leak shown below the car is coming from.
 
I wasn't sure it was coolant, I only assumed oil becaise I just changed the oil and its ridiculously low again. Thank you for the help and input. It's much appreciated!
 
I know you'll want to replace only what you can clearly see is leaking now, but once one part starts, the rest will be very close behind. Do it all now, or work on it and lose coolant every week for a while...
GenII LS8 Cooling System Overhaul
 
Oh I know! Im just doing what needs to be done for now and then returning the vehicle in working / clean condition.
 
That's way too much under body spray to be the sweating VCT solenoid seals.
I'd double check your filter gasket and drain plug seal. Next I'd have a look at the clasps on the oil cooler up front. Down below front passenger side. Lincoln added the oil cooler in 03. If you filled it with oil to the mark, then found the leak and you're low on oil, I'd stay with looking for oil leakage compared to coolant.

Either or ... needs a good looking at for sure. Can't be dumping oil like that ... of course.

GLWR
 
RigsLS said:
That's way too much under body spray to be the sweating VCT solenoid seals.
I'd double check your filter gasket and drain plug seal. Next I'd have a look at the clasps on the oil cooler up front. Down below front passenger side. Lincoln added the oil cooler in 03. If you filled it with oil to the mark, then found the leak and you're low on oil, I'd stay with looking for oil leakage compared to coolant.

Either or ... needs a good looking at for sure. Can't be dumping oil like that ... of course.

GLWR
Click to expand...

Look closer at the picture. The filter and oil plug are behind the leak and are dry. Pretty sure that's coolant. That's where you'd see a leak from the DCCV, aux pump, radiator, or upper hose.
 
It's definitely not oil, I jacked her up earlier and checked, I put the filter and oil plug. Dry.

After getting a better look at the color of the fluid it's a pink(?)ish color.
 
Pinkish could be coolant, some anti-freeze is pink or red, but usually it's green.
Pinkish could be washer fluid. The washer fluid reservoir is right where the leak is.
Pinkish could be transmission fluid from the transmission or the power steering, but really I would call it red.
 
Washer fluid is blue.

I'll get a picture of the napkin in just a few mins. Im still going to replace the seals just to be safe.
 
RigsLS said:
... Lincoln added the oil cooler in 03. ...
Click to expand...

Nope. The sport models had the oil cooler from the beginning (2000). Non-sports don't have the cooler (1st or 2nd gen).
 
Still thinking coolant. Dip a corner of the towel into the degas bottle to confirm. Gold is one of the Ford coolant colors.
 
Will do. We just replaced the degas bottle and hoses this past May 2016 because the car had issue overheating in 2015 so it sat for a year.
 
If it proves out to be gold coolant, since you say it was overheating, I'd start the leak hunt with the radiator. Remove the upper radiator sight shield and look down at the front of the passenger side tank. You may find a crack there, right where the hot coolant from the upper radiator hose hits the inside of the tank.
 
joegr said:
Nope. The sport models had the oil cooler from the beginning (2000). Non-sports don't have the cooler (1st or 2nd gen).
Click to expand...

Doh, my 01 even has it. My bad.


Sure hope that's not orange coolant.
I have to ask though, why is the oil "ridiculously low again" after it was filled up?
 
RigsLS said:
...I have to ask though, why is the oil "ridiculously low again" after it was filled up?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been ignoring that till the leak is sorted out. The engine looks clean underneath, so it might be burning it. Or maybe, he didn't put all seven quarts in when he changed it...
 
Hmmm, me still think he's dumping oil from somewhere. Can't imagine the passenger side VCT solenoid seal dropping that much unless it's popped out slanted all together.

Never say never I guess.
Might have to get the OP to do a taste test. :D where's member SoulSoak when you need him, he always liked sampling automotive fluids.
 
RigsLS said:
Hmmm, me still think he's dumping oil from somewhere. Can't imagine the passenger side VCT solenoid seal dropping that much unless it's popped out slanted all together...
Click to expand...

I don't see how it could be engine oil. The leak is in front of anywhere that engine oil is or flows. He would have to drive in reverse very fast to get the oil to blow forward. There is coolant flowing in the area of the leak (radiator, DCCV, aux pump, hoses), and there is ATF flowing there too (transmission cooler, power steering rack and cooler).

I guess we'll have to wait in suspense to find out.
 
As I stated, my ex husband and I replaced the degas bottle and hoses, flushed the system and put in new coolant last May. The DCCV was replaced once but needs to be replaced again (I have the new one). I have noticed a slight whine (or similar) when turning the wheel, but it's not every time. Could that be an issue with the power steering and possible reason for the mentioned leak?
 
Lots of "could be"s here. You really need to just dig in and find the source of the leak. The source will be the thing that is highest and most forward that is wet with the same fluid. Otherwise, we can continue to speculate on the theoretical causes. I already said that power steering was one of the possible sources.
Just look for and find the leak already...

(If you're using a Murray heater valve, you'll be replacing it every few months. The Motorcraft one is not that much more, and will last for years.)
 
Simple. ... swipe with finger tip, smell then dab onto tip of tounge above bathroom sink, spit, rinse and brush teeth.

Not gonna die, not gonna grow a third eye.

Sweet or slimey?

LOL
 
I was gonna say this yesterday,,, but have been beat up so bad around here... that I'mafraid to say anything.

First... pic of underside in post #1,,, is of passenger side front. Notice blue oil filter to left in pic. So most likely not engine oil leak. Op needs to determine color of engine coolant in degas.

Orange on napkin could be stained gold coolant... but op also mentioned pink color. Pink/red could be tranny fluid... which may point to a seal or line leaking on tranny/ps cooler.
 
04_ I'm giving out free hugs this week if you need one?

PS, lest we forget she mentioned the immediate loss of oil directly after oil change but yeah, wrong spot for blow off.
Thought it may have gotten under the plastic cover. We anxiously await the smell/taste test. And really just need to look at it from up top.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 143 (members: 0, guests: 143)
Back
Top