The oil leak started recently, I would say I noticed it the first time about a week ago. Of course i checked because I thought I didn't tighten my drain plug or my oil filter tight enough but both were tight and leak-free. I checked and checked and I couldn't find it. So two days ago, I finally identifed where it'* coming from., at least one of them. I have two separate (slow) oil leaks. It leaks when the oil is the thinnest (aka warm) I don't know the name or the purpose of this thingy
maybe you could identify it and tell me how to rememdy it.



It'* that single oily bolt.

Welcome to the leaky rear main seal club.

Wipe it down with each oil change and call it good.

How can a rear main seal be called that if the bolt is towards the front of the car and that bolt is on the driver'* side, not the passenger'* side.

Could you clarify?

The rear of the engine is on the drivers' side.

Your looking at the flex plate cover. Between the flexplate and the block is the rear main seal. It'* leaking and dripping down to that spot.

You have to think of the engine in terms of rear wheel drive, Cody. In a RWD car, the serpentine belt and all the accessories would be the front of the motor, and the end where the tranny hooks up would be the rear. Since ours are mounted sideways, the "front" is the passenger side, and the "rear" is the driver'* side.

You gotta love wrong wheel drive!

Yup...what they said.

If you take off the two bolts that hold the flywheel or flexplate cover (the plastic one in your picture) you should find that oil is coming down from above and between the flywheel and motor.

PS..I estimate about 80% of all 3800'* have that and either don't know or deal with it. You have to pull the motor to fix it.

Please respect Cody and don't make this a "I don't have a bad seal" or "I have a bad seal" thread, that should be a seperate poll if we are interested.

Ah, gotcha....

I thought the front was the one with the TB. I can't believe I didn't remember the belt..

Thanks... I feel good, kinda, sorta..

If you want..I can show you that my car is the same... next time I'm under ..

See, this is a good learning opportunity! The location of our TB is precisely why our intake manifolds cannot be swapped with L36 F-body cars (Firebird, Camaro) without extensive modification. Our UIM/TB would face the rear of their engine compartment, and their UIM/TB would be on the passenger side of our engine bay.