Leaks on passenger side of engine

[ElliotV]

So I walked out to my truck and noticed a puddle under the truck of a worryable size and I was wondering if anyone knows what could leak on the passenger side of the truck and where it is located I cannot tell if it is gas or oil because the top part of the oil pan is covered in old oil from changing the oil filter on this truck several times throughout it's 162,000mi

Edited April 11 by ElliotV

[datzenmike]

Oil pressure sender

Oil filter

Oil pump

Oil pan gasket

Fuel line and return

Clutch hydraulic slave cylinder

Right brake flex line

Right side brake caliper

 

Could be the valve cover leaking and running down the right side. Check the screws are snug, DON'T over tighten. It will continue to drip for a while.

 

Put a sheet of cardboard down and look to above where it drips to roughly find where it's dripping. This may eliminate a few of the above.

 

Power wash that side of the engine thoroughly including the oil pan and oil pump. Let dry, drive around and check every morning for signs of a leak

 

 

[ElliotV]

3 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Oil pressure sender

Oil filter

Oil pump

Oil pan gasket

Fuel line and return

Clutch hydraulic slave cylinder

Right brake flex line

Right side brake caliper

 

Could be the valve cover leaking and running down the right side. Check the screws are snug, DON'T over tighten. It will continue to drip for a while.

 

Put a sheet of cardboard down and look to above where it drips to roughly find where it's dripping. This may eliminate a few of the above.

 

Power wash that side of the engine thoroughly including the oil pan and oil pump. Let dry, drive around and check every morning for signs of a leak

 

 

I did not check the brakes but the leak seems to be dripping from the bottom of the oil pan. I wiped up what was on the ground and lit it on fire and it burnt very slow like oil but I have only put in a third of a quart in the past 2,000 miles since the last oil change and just put 60 miles on today and it's the same as it was before I left so I do not believe that I am actually losing oil. I did check the valve cover and there was only a slight bit of oil under it where a valve cover leak would collect but it looked like it had been there for a while I am assuming it is from when I ran the engine without the valve cover on it a few weeks ago. Nothing smells like gas I did notice my power steering fluid was a little low but I feel like if there was an actual leak it would have emptied itself after I drove 15 minutes after taking the truck to a car wash after I sprayed the motor with degreaser and the oil pressure is holding at about 55lbs at 2200rpm cruising

[datzenmike]

Yes! Power steering oil. The pump is on the right side also.

 

If the valve cover was off it might have taken that long to work it's way down the engine and start dripping.

[ElliotV]

I will check the power steering after I leave school and of course the oil as well. It is possible that maybe the oil warmed up since it was a longer drive and so it started to drip but I don't think that's possible. I didn't see a puddle under the truck this morning when I left for school and the oil was fine so I really don't know 

[IZRL]

There's no way around it. You need to clean the passenger side of the engine block and the oil pan real good. Scrape all the grime off and clean the oil off with brake cleaner and wipe it all down with a rag. I had a leak on that side as well. I cleaned it up and then let it idle for a while on my driveway until I saw the drip. Mine ended up being the oil pressure sending unit. Was leaking from where the wire connects to it not from where it screws into the block. 

 

I found that the best way to get a good look of the passenger side of the block and the easiest way to clean it. Is to remove the passenger side wheel, and remove the plastic fender shield/ cover. Leave them off when you idle the truck so you can get a good look at what is going on. 

Edited April 12 by IZRL

[ElliotV]

16 hours ago, IZRL said:

There's no way around it. You need to clean the passenger side of the engine block and the oil pan real good. Scrape all the grime off and clean the oil off with brake cleaner and wipe it all down with a rag. I had a leak on that side as well. I cleaned it up and then let it idle for a while on my driveway until I saw the drip. Mine ended up being the oil pressure sending unit. Was leaking from where the wire connects to it not from where it screws into the block. 

 

I found that the best way to get a good look of the passenger side of the block and the easiest way to clean it. Is to remove the passenger side wheel, and remove the plastic fender shield/ cover. Leave them off when you idle the truck so you can get a good look at what is going on. 

I will have to look at it later. When I left school it didn't have anything under it so I really don't know and the oil was still level but will see where it is sitting this morning before I drive anywhere.

[ElliotV]

Ok I think it is the oil pressure sending unit and it only drips after it has built some up on the top of the pan. 2 questions is this the right one and what does it take to replace the sending unit

[datzenmike]

 

Picture doesn't show or have to sign in or something. Should look like this one.

 

These use a BSPT thread so likely that hex is not Metric. 14mm doesn't fit but 15mm is sloppy loose. (or it's 13mm and 14mm I forget) I think 1/2" or 5/16" is the ticket. It's very tight to get a spanner down behind between the sender and the block.

 

SPIN ON LOOSELY BY HAND BUT DO NOT TIGHTEN BY TWISTING ON THE HOUSING!!!!!!!!!!! TIGHTEN WITH PROPER WRENCH TILL IT STOPS LEAKING.

[ElliotV]

Ok and that is the one I want not the picture I had

[ElliotV]

23 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

Picture doesn't show or have to sign in or something. Should look like this one.

 

These use a BSPT thread so likely that hex is not Metric. 14mm doesn't fit but 15mm is sloppy loose. (or it's 13mm and 14mm I forget) I think 1/2" or 5/16" is the ticket. It's very tight to get a spanner down behind between the sender and the block.

 

SPIN ON LOOSELY BY HAND BUT DO NOT TIGHTEN BY TWISTING ON THE HOUSING!!!!!!!!!!! TIGHTEN WITH PROPER WRENCH TILL IT STOPS LEAKING.

Is that the kind of fitting I could pull out and put thread tape on to reseal or even gasket maker which I used on Chevy small block water pumps and I also use it on my temperature sensor fittings in my small block

[IZRL]

16 minutes ago, ElliotV said:

Ok and that is the one I want not the picture I had

I got the one in your picture from autozone. Mine only has the one wire with the sleeve connector. Does yours have a connector like mikes picture or like the one in your photo? Get the one that has a connector like the one that's on your truck.

 

If it's more like the one in your photo than I used a crescent wrench to unscrew it out. Don't pull one the wire to remove this connector. Grab it from the connector with needle nose pliers.

Edited April 13 by IZRL

[ElliotV]

Mine is like the one in mikes picture with two connectors. I found one from O'Reilly's that looks similar with two plugs

[Thomas Perkins]

I am using one from Orielly's.That is for the one with a temp.Gauge.Life time warranty.

[ElliotV]

1 hour ago, Thomas Perkins said:

I am using one from Orielly's.That is for the one with a temp.Gauge.Life time warranty.

Yeah the only reason I went to O'Reilly's is because I could get it from them today

[Thomas Perkins]

I have to order mine.They don't keep it in stock here.No stores keep hardly any 720 parts on the shelf.How often does someone come in and buy a 720 part?I never ever see a 720 on the road here. None in the junk yard either.

[ElliotV]

38 minutes ago, Thomas Perkins said:

I have to order mine.They don't keep it in stock here.No stores keep hardly any 720 parts on the shelf.How often does someone come in and buy a 720 part?I never ever see a 720 on the road here. None in the junk yard either.

I have only ever seen two 720s in person the one I drive as a daily and the one that is sitting in my backyard as parts truck. The hub store for AutoZone tends to have most stuff like valve cover gaskets oil pan gaskets I can get filters and whatnot since those tend to translate to most vehicles and only one O'Reilly's had the pressure sensor so hopefully I can throw that in tomorrow and I won't be leaking oil anymore. But for the most part I have to order stuff in if I need anything thankfully this truck has been very reliable and has only needed a radiator cap which my hub store had and then just oil changes. This is honestly the first big issue I've had that hasn't just been me freaking out about my truck possibly dying.

Edited April 14 by ElliotV

[Thomas Perkins]

Yeah,Auto Zone here can get parts the same day if you order them when they open.

[ElliotV]

22 minutes ago, Thomas Perkins said:

Yeah,Auto Zone here can get parts the same day if you order them when they open.

Well I had them look since I do work there and get a discount and I would have had to wait till Wednesday to get it and I didnt want to wait to save a few bucks

[Thomas Perkins]

IJust washed my rides today.Weather here in Georgia is nice. Was going to send pics but it won't let me.

Edited April 14 by Thomas Perkins

[ElliotV]

Is there any tips for getting the stupid thing out because it is a 14 and either my wrenches too short or it's too long so I can't push down on it and then I can't get enough up on it 

 

[datzenmike]

14mm? ok. I thought the wrench should have a slight curve in it and thinner would help to get it down behind it.

[ElliotV]

35 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

14mm? ok. I thought the wrench should have a slight curve in it and thinner would help to get it down behind it.

I'm gonna post this for anyone who does this themselves. You need a stubby wrench they are about 5in long or so and mine was a 14mm and it is going to sit at a bit of a angle not perfectly flat since the sensor goes in at a angle. Mine was very hard to get loose and smaller arms are required but lots of swearing will occur. One thing that I think helped was I had a 14mm Allen socket to stick in the closed end of my wrench and made a makeshift crowfoot due to the fact that the sensor is too big for normal crows foot and I think it helped get it loose but to be completely honest it was hard to tell since I couldn't really see what I was doing.

[ElliotV]

12 hours ago, datzenmike said:

14mm? ok. I thought the wrench should have a slight curve in it and thinner would help to get it down behind it.

Hey Mike I went to start the truck up this morning and the oil light isn't turning off and the gauge isn't reading either. Does this gauge ground through the block meaning I shouldn't have used thread sealer on it or is it likely something else is wrong?

[620slodat]

3 hours ago, ElliotV said:

Hey Mike I went to start the truck up this morning and the oil light isn't turning off and the gauge isn't reading either. Does this gauge ground through the block meaning I shouldn't have used thread sealer on it or is it likely something else is wrong?

Most likely the thread sealant should NOT have been there. The block provides the ground. It also could be that the item is not any good. Take the thread sealant off first.

 

Don 

Edited April 15 by 620slodat