IvDogg

Hello all,

I recently replaced my oil pickup tube due to low oil pressure...

It's been about 2 days since I've done the job and I've been monitoring the engine oil level since.

The oil level hasn't moved according to my dipstick, but every time I move my car in the morning, there's a small puddle (smaller than a CD) of what I'm pretty sure is motor oil on the ground. Prior to me changing the pickup tube I had zero leaks.

I'm hoping it's residual oil left of from it spilling all over when i dropped the oil pan (I of course drained it first, but it's still messy)... Is it at all possible that it's some kind of trans/diff oil coming from where the oil pan and trans meet? I'm thinking it's not possible, but I have to ask.

I will continue to monitor the engine oil level, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips of what else I should check next. Thanks.

lyleswk

I would seriously doubt there is that must residual oil. The drip is under the oil pan? Color is dark?

IvDogg

I agree that's why I'm being paranoid about this...

It's look like nice & clean synthetic oil. Before I dropped the pan I did two engine flushes to try and solve my sludge problem without dropping the oil pan. So the residual oil from dropping the pan and my new oil could both look like what I'm finding under my engine...

I just want to make sure it's not somehow from my transmission where the bell housing meets the oil pan...

I'm going to continue to monitor this... But as of this morning, when I check my dipstick the oil level still hasn't dropped. Since it stormed last night I wasn't able to really tell if any oil dripped on the ground....

Gonna check my parking at work this afternoon.

Thanks for the feedback.

Prospeeder

What kind of silicone did you use? I always use Ultra Black because of its great oil resistance. I will tend to use shop air and blow all the residual oil around the inside of the engine so it gives a rather large window of time to get the siliconed pan into place and up. If a big blob of oil came down and contaminated your sealing surface, and you used silicone not up to the resistance of oil it will leak. Also, I wait at least a few hours to put any oil in.

IvDogg

I've had near perfect results with gaskets and seals in all my prior engine work on other cars, but it is entirely possible that this one didn't seal well.

I used a blow gun to clean the mating surfaces after brushing/wiping them clean. I used the Felpro aftermarket oil pan gasket (this worked just fine for me a while back on my Ford Explorer), I used a little permatex ultra copper right wear the crease/slight indent is near both the front & rear block side.

It was at least 2 hours before I put oil in the engine after the final torquing of the oil pan.

Should I redo it without the felpro gasket and just Ultra black or similar? Would it work better with both gasket & sealant?

I'm perfectly fine with the problem being I didn't seal it well, I'm more concerned if this isn't motor oil... I can't think of what else would be leaking at what appears to be where the oil pan meets with the transmission. There shouldn't be any possible oil like leaks coming from where the flywheel is beside motor oil, correct?

Thanks again.

Prospeeder

What I do. Is use no gasket, just Ultra Black, use enough that it squeezes out slightly, but not too much. Tighten it down fully and reassemble and let it dry at least 2 hours. I know the instructions on the tubes say partially assemble then fully tighten but I never have and have not had a leaker yet.

lyleswk

I'm with prospeeder on this one. I seriously doubt it is something else since you just touched with oil pan.

ECS Tuning-Audi

If your level is fine chances are its a different fluid.

Inner CV seals like to leak when they go bad and will leak gear box oil which is the same color as engine oil.

What's it smell like? Does it smell like motor oil or something different?

Jason

IvDogg

Thanks everyone for your assistance... The oil level on my dipstick finally dropped a little... I put the oil pan on Sunday morning and Thursday morning I noticed it went down one tiny dot on the dipstick...

Thankfully it's just that and nothing else crazy... I'm going to give it some stop leak and wait and monitor it for about 600 miles and redo the oil pan if I have to.

Jason, good tip, while I had my car on the lift I did notice my front-inner CVs cracking, but that's a question for another post.

So if I redo it you all recommend just ultra-black for the whole oil pan? Scrap the felpro gasket?

Thanks again everyone.

ECS Tuning-Audi

Just so were both on the same page I was referring to the seal in the transmission

Not that actually CV boot. Really the only way to tell if they are leaking is if its visually bad or when you check the level of the fluid in the gear box.

Jason