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Wierd oil Leak


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I have sprung a leak apparently somewhere on this engine.. The leak isnt on the ground, but it seems to leak up top where after a long drive on a the highway, top of the hood, and radiator hose has oil over it. It seems to spray itself along the length of the front of the car.. The bottom of the radiator is dry, the oil cooler seems dry and the valve cover also seems dry... It's as if while driving you drive into a spray of oil and it just gets sprayed everywhere... Any idea's?

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Check to see if its tranny fluid, and look at the cooler lines going into the radiator. Other than that, this is an odd one. Maybe you have a leak at the oil filter adapter area that is being flung up by the cooling fans, look at the cooling fans are wet

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

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Oil pressure switch spraying oil into the cooling fans?

Good thought, that is what I am thinking that its something like that, involving the cooling fans. I was also thinking that the power steering cooler that sits in front of the radiator is leaking and the fans are blowing it around. Regis recently had a cooler go bad, I can't remember if it was an auxiliary oil cooler or the power steering cooler, but if one sprung a leak, the oil would be slung around by the fans especially at high speeds on the highway.

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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i have run into this kind of thing a few times over the years ...

if it was me, the first thing that i would do, is go to the nearest car wash or even better, do it in the yard,

and clean, useing a power wash or even engine degreaser under the hood ...

then i would put a stick on the gas pedal to idle it up some and pull up a chair and keep a close watch to

see where it is coming from ...

i have healed, a very nice volvo that had been sold, 3 times in one month at car auctions, one of which was

one of the biggest car dealer in town ... the car was sold very cheap because of the problem ...

it was an easy quick fix and once fixed the value of the car went up thousands of dollars ...

my buddy Ed is still driving that car after 10 years or so ...

the problem was a clogged line coming out of the PCV ...

also fixxed a jeep cherokee that everybody(dealers etc.) said needed a new headgasket and or a rebuild, because of all the oil coming out of the top end and guess what ... again PCV ...

my advise is wash, watch and maybe check out the PVC ...

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Well it's definetly oil for sure as I was down some yesterday. It had done this on my trip to SC too... It seems to only do it when I drive it for over 20-30 mins and on the highway. Around town doesnt do it.. Very wierd. The cooler in front of the Condensor is dry as a bone. I degreased the engine twice, and it comes back.. If it was leaking at the adapter plate or OIl pressure switch wouldnt I smell burning oil under the hood? There is absolutly no oder or smoke when it does this and the headers are dry too.. It's very wierd! But let me get under there and check again!

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This sounds oddly familiar except mine turned out to be tranny fluid. I assume you did the smell and color test of the fluid? If you're not 100% sure then humor me and check the tranny fluid return line. The section of it that can only be seen by removing the airbox. On my 94STS there is a short length of rubber hosing that points upward and sleeves over a metal fixed line. Located right behind the driver's side cooling fan. The rubber hosing had worked its way off just enough that under load some of the tranny fluid would squirt out in a upward direction. The fans would do the rest. What a mess.

"Burns" rubber

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This sounds oddly familiar except mine turned out to be tranny fluid. I assume you did the smell and color test of the fluid? If you're not 100% sure then humor me and check the tranny fluid return line. The section of it that can only be seen by removing the airbox. On my 94STS there is a short length of rubber hosing that points upward and sleeves over a metal fixed line. Located right behind the driver's side cooling fan. The rubber hosing had worked its way off just enough that under load some of the tranny fluid would squirt out in a upward direction. The fans would do the rest. What a mess.

Yes it's definetly oil, nice and yellow/brown ( clean synthetic ) oil.... I will get under there and check the oil adapter etc.

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Does the car have an engine oil cooler in the radiator side tank? If so, check for leaks at the fittings and the hose crimps - follow the lines from the oil filter adapter to the radiator tanks.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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So I checked the car today, The fans are oil free the radiotor is oil free the headers and valve covers are dry as a bone, the oild pressure switch is clean, as well as the adapter area all clean. The pan leaks, ( no suprise ), the bolts were loose So I tightened them all up again. I don't see how oil gets to the top of the engine and all over the underside of the hood. I removed the beauty cover from the underside of the hood as it was all oil soaked so I am thinking maybe when I had a faulty oil filter seal it was covered and oil just leaked out of it as a result of it getting hot on long drives? No from what I understand the oil pan gasket cannot get replaced without the engine being removed right?

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No from what I understand the oil pan gasket cannot get replaced without the engine being removed right?

From what I've read on here, it should be removed. There might be barely enough room to fit a new gasket in but it's really tight. I have no experience with this but I remember reading other's posts on here about the issue.

WARNING: I'm a total car newbie, don't be surprised if I ask a stupid question! Just trying to learn.

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No from what I understand the oil pan gasket cannot get replaced without the engine being removed right?

From what I've read on here, it should be removed. There might be barely enough room to fit a new gasket in but it's really tight. I have no experience with this but I remember reading other's posts on here about the issue.

Hmm, well this is exciting. Who on here has done this or knows how to?

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You cannot get the pan off of a Northstar with the engine in the car. You have to drop the drivetrain.

Why didn't GM redesign the carriage to allow the pan to be dropped? We are not talking about a MAJOR redesign here

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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You cannot get the pan off of a Northstar with the engine in the car. You have to drop the drivetrain.

Why didn't GM redesign the carriage to allow the pan to be dropped? We are not talking about a MAJOR redesign here

Because they want to make money and they figure most people who will have these cars have to have some sort of money thats why and can afford the repair.. There smart and stupid all wrapped into one!

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