Anyone want to guess where this leak may be coming from? | FerrariChat

Anyone want to guess where this leak may be coming from?

Discussion in '348/355' started by gobble, Feb 22, 2015.

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  1. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #1 gobble, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I snapped this shot before removing the engine from my car. Does the fluid on the bottom point towards some obvious type of leak or could it be a number of things? I'm still waiting for the guy that's helping me to come inspect the engine and thought I'd throw this question out there.
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  2. emac

    emac Formula Junior
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    Cant really tell from the picture, but I had a lot of oil coming from the seal where the shifter entered the gear box. Pull back the rubber cover and see if it is full of oil. Cheap and easy to replace.
     
  3. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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  4. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 WATSON, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    emac is referring to the input shaft selector seal. It is the same seal in a 6 speed & F1.

    It is #5 in the image below.

    Cut the zip ties off the bellow that is over it and see what you have. Mine was a mess when I got my car. If that becomes a repair, let me know, there is a trick Bradan showed me to get that thing out.
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  5. emac

    emac Formula Junior
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    Thanks Watson for posting the picture. I should have been more specific. Sorry.

    Curious, what the trick was? I usually drill a small hole in a seal, thread in a screw and tug it out. I couldn't get good access on the selector seal, so I carefully used a small hooked pic and it came out pretty easy. It was of course well lubricated! My bellow didn't have any zip tiies??

    Edit: Looking at the picture, it seems only the F1 has zip ties, mine is 6 speed.
     
  6. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #6 gobble, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  7. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #7 gobble, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  8. emac

    emac Formula Junior
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    your leak appears to be coming from higher up than the selector seal. No rusty bolts around that motor! Haha.
     
  9. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Any oil in the bellow? If not, zip it back up and look elsewhere.

    The trick was to place a small flat head screwdriver on the seal and lightly tap it out with a hammer. It has a metal disk in the seal and I could not get the darn thing out.

    Drilling a hole and inserting a hook or screw is a great idea as well. With my luck, I would drill too deep. :)
     
  10. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #10 gobble, Feb 22, 2015
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  11. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    No the bellow is clean inside. No zipties on it though.
     
  12. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #12 gobble, Feb 22, 2015
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  13. bmxracer50

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    #13 bmxracer50, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2015
    Disclaimer: I've never worked on a 355. Now, on to the speculation: I've found that kind of very dark, very well distributed oil leak almost always points to power steering fluid. Something about PS fluid that coats everything and leaves a very grimey residue.
    That said, it looks only high up on the aft end of the motor, which makes me thing oil leak since the ps pump is to the front but isn't the ps reservoir up top towards the rear?
     
  14. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Have you sniffed it? Gearoil smells engine does not
     
  15. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Wind whips up oil and it travels to places not expected
     
  16. bmxracer50

    bmxracer50 Karting
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    FBB speaks truths. Gear oil is stank. Motor oil, generally not so.
     
  17. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #17 gobble, Feb 22, 2015
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  18. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    It smells like a nitrile glove. Oh wait let me take that off.

    I doesn't smell like anything. Sure doesn't smell like a bottle of MT-90.
     
  19. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    A teardown during the major will make the source obvious.
     
  20. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    Great, I don't want to tear the whole thing apart but maybe we'll have to.
     
  21. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #21 fatbillybob, Feb 22, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Well you have the engine out. By the time you take the plenum off and the TB's out and the valve covers etc everything will look so simple and accessible. You will realize that the guessing in this thread is just a waste of time. Leak points will be obvious and if you seal well you won't have any when you put it all back together. And before you ask there is no perfect sealant. I have used everything and I am satisfied with nothing. I think about old things I have tried and sometimes go back to them, remember why I don't like them and move on to the next sealant. Even hondabond is not magic and even that old nasty aviation gasket sealer works when judiciously applied. One thing I truly hate is the overuse of silicone. These worms were in the cam shaft nuts. This kind of stuff can find its way in the oil and jam passages. Don't use any sealant where you have orings. That is what the orings are for.
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  22. emac

    emac Formula Junior
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    It may be a shadow, but the first motor picture you posted looks like it is coming from the valve cover. Why it appears to head to the front of the engine doesn't make sense.

    Since you have the motor out of the car, I think you are in a great situation to fix it. Please continue to post pictures and updates about the rebuild. I, and I am sure others, would enjoy watching the journey.
     
  23. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    It's actually running from the middle to the back of the block. The gunk isn't as bad towards the belt side.
     
  24. Drock28

    Drock28 Formula 3

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    could it be carbon build up from exhaust leak, since it's in the same area on both sides where the headers are.

    keeps us updated on your funding please.
     
  25. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Looking at those pictures again, are the CV boots split?
     

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