Camshaft Plug or Oil Gallery Plug

[c3po]

I need advice, I really looked for my oil leak tonite, passenger side valve cover is fine, back of intake manifold is fine, this is a small block chevy, at the back of the engine near the firewall down by the starter area there was a mess of gooey oily junk, it was at the back of the block where the engine meets the transmission, could this be a loose camshaft plug, after driving the car, I parked it and noticed 2 drops of oil from the middle of the engine below the oil pan, it was wet in that area, is there an oil gallery plug or some other plug that is leaking, it just seems there is some plug that is leaking, maybe my only option is to really clean the engine and see where the leak is coming from, the area where the distributor goes in to the intake manifold is fine, the engine runs fantastic. I am in the rinse phase of Auto-Rx, maybe it loosened some crud in the engine where some of those plugs were, I am really at a loss, maybe I need to stop by my Chevy Dealer and talk to some of the old time mechanics.

 

[OVERKILL]

Back of the intake manifold is a possibility. The gasket there may have blown and is now leaking.

There is a spot for an oil pressure sensor back there as well, so yes, a gallery plug. It is just behind the dizzy if I remember correctly.

Clean it off with some brake-clean and see if you can isolate the source.

 

[c3po]

I will check it tommorow morning, it should be cooled off and if I feel any wetness or sense any fresh oil then I have found the leak, but if there was a leak from the back of the intake manifold wouldn't I have driveability problems.

 

[OVERKILL]

Not if it's only a pressure leak. The gasket may have just pushed out a little and is letting oil seep by.

 

[tgw323]

There is a cup plug at the end of the camshaft. Usually doesn't cause trouble if it's OK to begin with. It's bathed in oil on the inside, but exposed on the outside. The horizontal part of the intake seal won't cause a vacuum leak, only oil. Most builders don't even use the cork/rubber seal on this; just lay a bead of silicone or similar down. Get a flex head mirror & a light & start cleaning and looking around. The intake leak you can clean & seal with silicone. Check pan gasket torque. The cam plug you would need to separate engine/transmission to fix.

 

[c3po]

I went out this morning and there was more oil on the drip pan, the back of the intake manifold definetly had some oil as my hand and finger were covered in a black grime, will have to clean this out and get some silicone for it and also check the oil pan gasket. I think that I have some kind of pressure problem with the PCV, when I parked it 1 night I disconnected the PCV and took off the breather and parked it and there was only a drop or 2 of oil the next day. I am wondering if it is time for K&N breathers on both valve covers. The intake manifold was put on 2 years ago and the guy that helped me used a bead of silicone. I just think that with 360,000 miles my pcv just cannot handle the pressure, I have read that you need the PCV because it will suck crankcase pressure out whereas just a breather where the PCV goes will not pull it out. The other thing is that when I started Auto-Rx an old time mechanic warned me that if you clean up the inside of an engine you can eventually have leaks, something just has me thinking pressure leak and it only happens when the car is turned off and sitting for a while. Last night when I got to where I had to go I let it idle for 10 minutes and not a drop or drip of oil.