is it as bad as I think it is?

[71bmr02]

Last week I noticed an oily buildup in and around the timing hole in the bellhousing.  I pulled the inspection cover from the bottom of the trans and it is dry as is the flywheel.  No obvious leaks from the trans/motor interface and it's never left an oil trail on the concrete floor where its parked. I cleaned the area off and have been driving it since and today i noticed more oily buildup in the same place.  I say oily buildup because it's not a runny oil but more like a thick grease.  there's nothing on the outer perimeter  of the flywheel where the bouncing ball is located.

 

My first guess is rear main seal except for the lack of a puddle of oil under the car.  Seals at the front of the motor leak but i had planned to pull the front cover off, replace seals, timing rails etc but now it's looking like a full pull and major surgery.  any thoughts ideas or experiences with such goings on.

 

Thanks

[Mike G]

Distributor o ring?

[71bmr02]

Just checked, doesnt appear to be a bad o ring but it could be the distributor housing gasket.  that gasket is obviously leaking and may be allowing oil to seep past the trans motor interface and be thrown out the timing hole. since i was in the process of pulling the distributor to change points and condenser i'll tweek the bolts holding the housing to back of the head.  Thanks for the heads up on this area.   '

 

 

[Einspritz]

Front transmission seal?

 

Smell the oil......

[FunkyLaneO]

Distributor housing has 3 places it could and frequently does leak, the gasket, the special sealing washer, and the o-ring.  I would closely inspect all of those. Also the rear main seal usually starts to leak slowly and you may be one of the few that actually catches it early, most people don't notice until they see a puddle.

[TobyB]

The housings can crack, too, and that'll leak.

 

Doesn't sound so bad to me

 

t

has puddles under all his cars

[71bmr02]

Changed points/condenser timed etc,went for about and hour drive and so far, no sign of leak.  I did tighten the dist housing bolts which were loose, not a lot but enough to perhaps be the culprit.  

[TobyB]

It doesn't take much, especially the bolt that's seeing full oil pressure...

 

t

 

[2002Scoob]

When I got my car, the distributor housing seal was a leaky mess, and the single-most largest contributor to engine-bay oil contamination. 

 

I'm gunna bet that coulda' been your culprit. If just tightening things down doesn't do it, replacing the seal is a 5-10 minute job. 

[71bmr02]

after the vintage i plan to do the timing cover gaskets, water pump front oil seal and rails because it is leaking from that area and those items are hard to get to with all the hoses pully etc in the way.  while in there i think i'll replace the dist cover gasket and this time blue lock tight everything.  the engine was completely rebuilt about 12 years ago so those things should be addressed anyway.

[71bmr02]

Just a follow-up.  Drove the car to the vintage,  can happily report no oil from the timing hole in the bell housing.  Tightening the dist housing bolts worked.  BTW, good time at the Vintage,  my grandson went with me and he thoroughly enjoyed seeing other 02's and the other models that were there.