where is this damn oil leak!

[snaus32]

Ok i have a pesty oil leak in my rebuilt 327! It's not losing much but it is driving me crazy I've replaced the oil pan gasket with a one piece, new oil filter adapter with gasket still there. I've checked valve covers and heads all dry, it seems to be on the side with the starter it has oil on it. also saw a drop on the bottom of fuel filter. HELP i'm loosing my mind lol

[RanchFlyer]

Get a mirror and look at the back of the intake. It is amazing how oil can travel.
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[into69z]

I had a leak on my small block from the front of the motor on the passenger side-there are two bolt holes on the front of the motor where the fuel pump area is-the fuel pump is on the side and these two holes are on the front of the block. I think it is the top hole that goes all the way thru into the crankcase. This hole can also be used to hold the fuel pump push rod in place while you install a fuel pump. I had an oil leak there and the oil blew back along the side of the block really making a mess. If you put a bolt in the hole, make sure it is short as you don't want to bind up the fuel rod. Hope that is your leak

[LEEVON]

Check your dipstick. If its not fully seated, fresh oil will run down the block surface where the head sits on that little ledge and drip down over the oil filter. Take a soft mallet or a block of wood and tap it home in the block. It's hard to spot because the grime doesn't build up by the dipstick for awhile. I had a similar leak and this *almost* fixed it. I ended up pulling the heads and replacing head gaskets because I suspect it was coming from back of the intake valley at the head too.

Also, if you have a leak at the front seal there are 2 different felpro one piece gaskets because there are 2 types of oil pans, one with a shallow seal and one with a deeper seal. They don't tell you at the parts store and 1/2 the time you will take home the wrong one. The way to be absolutely sure is to place a straight edge on the front of the pan and measure down. 2 1/4 is the thin front seal, 2 3/8 is thick...not sure on the part numbers...

[snaus32]

thanks for the tips i have it on the lift so i take another look.

[ole dollor]

snarus32: i think into69z answer will fix you up, i have seen this problem before, just dont put a very long bolt in the hole....

[50bomb]

When I had my 64 chevy truck with the sbc 350 I had a oil leak problem. Found out it was the intake manifold gasket on the backside corners. You need to put extra seal on them corners very thick because the gaskets doesnt cover those corners any good. After that it never leaked again.

[Sillyoldman]

Are you using a stamped pan? Short of pulling the engine I found it near impossible to seal it on my 327. After my third attempt I bought an aluminum pan & the one piece gasket. I never cared for the round lip on the stamped pans.

[D.PASSMORE]

If its dripping from starter, good possibly it could be rear main seal.

[beautimus]

also check the oil light switch at the back of the block, close to the distributor. i have seen those crack, and leak oil as well.

[406 Q-ship]

Get a mirror and look down behind the engine where the intake seals to the block. If the intake was put on using an endrail seal and silicone it will push the seal out. I use just silicone and no seal. If it were a rear main seal it would be more than a little leak, no way it is a dipstick because it is on the wrong side of the engine (327 is always on the left side and the starter is on the right). Most everything inside the bellhousing is under pressure and would not be a little leak, it would be a LEAK and probably would not be dripping off starter. It is either a valve cover (make sure the cover sealing area is flat) or the rear of the intake mainfold.