1974 2002tii
Yet nother post re: yet another seeping oil leak on yet another 02. Please be gentle.
Typical 02 seeping oil leak from somewhere. After doing the often-recommended de-greasing, de-oiling, and drying of the engine I drove the piss out of the car, parked it, and let the leak it do its thing. Results: a nebulous and sequestered leak, as expected. The leak produces a 2-3 sq" sq puddle over a week or so.
-- Oil pan bolts and all other accessable bolts were tight.
-- No oil in the vicinity of the (i) distributor or its housing, (ii) exhaust studs, (iii) inside the bell housing where the rear main seal would leak, and (iv) top of the rear head bolts.
-- Oil mostly on driver's side areas of (i) sides of upper and lower TC covers, (ii) along oil pan gasket, (iii) drip from the bell housing cover, and (iv) exhaust support at the transmission.
-- The only drip is from the aforementioned cover.
QUESTION 1: As an initial approach, may I assume the problem is related to the TC covers (and their widely known propensity to leak...and prevent surface rust) and skip the other profusely FAQ-discussed usual suspects? NOTE: I know the importance of sealing the two special upper cover-lower cover-engine block junctions.
QUESTION 2: Might the wet exhaust bracket be a separate issue and not related to oil blow-back?
Photos are attached. Yellow indicates areas which are wet- with oil.
Thanks.