LTI oil leak

Gorgon · 10-09-02, 04:39 PM

I got my 02 sensor replaced and my codes cleared. Now I have an oil leak in the front of the engine that I need to address. I know there is a seal for the timing chain cover and a seal inside as well. This will require pulling the belt, balancer, opti, and probably a few other items to get to. Any suggestions for tackling this job? Anything to check while I'm in there? The car has 90k miles on it so I will check the timing chain, though I think that it will be alright for a few thousand more miles.

EDIT: Any specialty tools I may need?

Leon

Gorgon · 10-10-02, 09:30 PM

Anyone? This is supposed to be a fairly common problem with the LT1's.

Leon

10-10-02, 09:41 PM

I have the same oil leak on my 94 coupe and justs put
a new opit spark unit in.

10-16-02, 04:59 PM

had the same problem with mine. replaced valve cover and intake gaskets first that helped. i am pulling the pan and front cover this weekend. rear main is leaking along with the front. decided to pull the pan and change bearings and oil pump while the pan is off. also putting a new trans in at the same time. i am hoping this will cure all the oil leaks. good luck if i find anything strange i will post and let you know. robert

10-17-02, 01:48 AM

I have been told that LT1s are known oil leakers. Mine is leaking from the intake. My Dealer said leave it alone "they all do it" take a rag and wipe the floor once a week and forget it.

malc350 · 10-17-02, 05:07 AM

Funny, but I have magazine articles from 92 where the LT1 design is praised as it supposedly addresses the oil leak problems that the old 350 suffers from!

However my 93 LT1 had a smal leak from the front oil seal but it was hardly noticable. I never had to top the oil up at all - this on a car that had 95,00 miles when I sold it.

I'm with Black Ice on this one. If you don't have to top it up or if you don't have to work on the front end of the engine for any other reason - i.e. optispark or water pump replacement, I'd leave it alone but keep an eye on it in case it gets worse.

You'd think by the 90's they could have designed an engine that doesn't leak!

10-17-02, 09:36 AM

dealer said leave it alone? just wipe it up? got to disagree guys. cars should not leak oil. on my 92 it will lose about 1/4 quart every 1000 miles. to much. it blows under the car at speed and really makes a mess. even a small leak will turn your undercarrage into a total mess. my 92 has 98,000 on it and the back of the motor is covered in a greasey thick coating. after a 30 min drive when you stop you get a sweet burning smell around the car. lets see, hot exhaust + oil leak + fiberglass car= ? its a corvette fix the oil leaks. robert

Vettelt193 · 10-17-02, 09:50 AM

LT1 fixed just about all of the leaks the L98 had, but it has leaks of its own.... Also, there were oil leaks because of the switch to synthetic oil...

Gorgon · 10-17-02, 11:57 AM

This is hardly a situation where I will let the leak go too much longer as it's coating the opti. Besides that I have a nice coating under the car as well. The car currently has 92k miles on it. I know the engine will be good for many more miles, but all the supporting electronics in the engine bay don't work well coated in Mobil 1.

If anyone has done this job in the past, I'm looking to see what it entails and possibly how long it took. Once this is done I will clean the engine up and see if the rear mains are contributing and get that taken care of when a new clutch goes in.

Leon

swoosh · 10-21-02, 05:08 PM

The best way to get it fixed is to have the extended warranty for your corvette and let the dealer fix it. With the warranty you get it fixed as many times as you want until it runs out. Don't know why chevy's love to leak oil.