355 355 Spider Chasing down leak

A common problem, usually this leak is from the valve cover, if a small amount of RTV sealant wasn’t used in the corners during installation.

 

I had the same problem, on both sides since my last major service. Re-torquing the valve cover bolts totally corrected the leak on the right, but still, I have a slight leak on the left, and will correct it this year during another major service. It would be good to get more thoughts from the group here.

 

If you are not sure as to the exact location of the leak you could wash everything down and put some dye in the oil and then inspect it with a black light. That will help to narrow it down. Based on your pics it looks like valve cover gaskets are a likely suspect and sealer (as mentioned in post 3). Not a bad job.

 

There is no oil above the valve covers, unless you spilled some while you were adding oil to the car. Your car looks like it's leaking from the valve cover gaskets or the cam shaft seals. Although, that oil spot on the ground is much too big to be just a valve cover. On that side of the car, there are several oil lines going between engine and oil tank and radiator. One of those lines are probably responsible for a large leak like that on the ground.

 

You need to POINT to the line in question. There are too many lines ...

 

OK, once again. Which one?

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Well, that carries just air from the airbox to the charcoal cannister. There is no oil or liquid in it and there is no clamp. The fitting that is there is a quick squeeze and pull fitting and does not need a clamp, although quick is no longer the case since it is 40 years old.

If you find PS fluid at the bottom of that line, it is probably PS fluid from one of three PS hoses that run above or near that ventilation hose.

1. Hi pressure line from the PS pump to a metal fitting at the firewall.
2. Low pressure return hose from a pipe next to the metal fitting of (1.) to the bottom of the PS fluid reservoir. If this is the one, you have to buy a new one with correct shape from Ricambi or someone else. Do not try to use a straight hose to do this.
3. Small S hose feeding tube from the Reservoir to the PS pump. If this is the one, you have to buy a new one from Ricambi or someone else. Do not try to use a straight hose to do this.

Significant leak probably comes from hose number 1, that runs all over the top of the engine in the middle of the V, exiting out toward the left hand side air plenum, rubbing up against all kinds of metal pieces before it goes to the firewall. That is the hardest one to change and would normally be inspected during the engine out AND changed whenever it has any sign of wear or rubbing with metal things.

To see what is going on, you might need to:

1. Drain and remove the coolant reservoir
2. Remove the airbox at the rear of the engine
3. Climb into the engine bay and loosen the mounting bracket for the PS steering reservoir

Now inspect the long winding hose from the PS pump to the left hand side firewall. IF you find that to be the problem, you are ... 20% to full removal of that line. Full removal requires removing 1) throttle cable assembly, 2) gear oil heat exchanger, 3) PS reservoir, 4) loosening of the fuel line block out of the way. Then muscling the metal fitting with a 17mm wrench and a 22mm wrench. Then unwind that long hose out from under the heat exchanger inside the V of the engine. You might need to remove the upper 90 degree large coolant hose just to have some more space for the wrenches.

You might get lucky and it's one of the other hoses.

By the way, that hose is uber expensive and no longer available. Your best bet is to take it (or send it) to a hydraulic shop and have them make you a new one while re-using the pressure limiting device on your old hose. The banjo end is probably readily available. The 22mm fitting is reused.

Best of luck.

 

Oh, step 0 (before you do anything): remove engine lid.

 

Pressure limiting device? What's that? Is there an orifice or something inside that hose?

 

Take the seats out and cover your top. You can lean into the engine bay from the passenger compartment for additional access.

 

Running the pump without fluid in it will damage it. There is no rebuild kit, just replacement.