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Engine Oil Leak?

Tiny
ODA1132
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 14,300 MILES
This car belongs to my mother-law, it drives good no engine noise or loss of power. She states that it burns oil (but it has no smell), though about every week or two depending on the amount of errands she has to put a quart of oil in the car, also the today we notice a drip formation under the front of the car and some oil on the garage floor. What should her plan of action be?
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Friday, April 30th, 2010 AT 6:57 PM

17 Replies

Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
The first and most important thing to do is pinpoint the area of the leak. it could be from a leaky oil filter, loose drain plug, cracked oil pan gasket etc... locate the origin of the leak and then replace whatever has caused it.

This guide will help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-is-leaking-oil

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Friday, April 30th, 2010 AT 7:01 PM
Tiny
CARLAANDJERRY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 3.8L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 195,000 MILES
Front passenger side oil pouring out. Replaced front main and sending unit. Still have the same problem I can only see oil pouring out can not tell where from. It is hitting the exhaust near front and is now milky looking. Car runs fine other than losing oil.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,293 POSTS
Are you absolutely sure that it's engine oil, and not power steering fluid (looks roughly the same when it's older), or transmission fluid (should have a reddish or pinkish color when you touch it)? Because they could both be leaking up there as well. Pressurized power steering lines can shoot power steering fluid out in a manner that would allow it to go pretty much anywhere under the hood. And a leaky transmission cooler/cooler line could also send transmission fluid to where you're describing, although it's a little less likely.

If it is indeed oil, then I would suspect bad valve cover gaskets, which are a common issue to just about every car ever made at that mileage. Over time, with the constant heating and cooling of the engine, the rubber valve cover gaskets become brittle, almost like plastic, and don't expand as needed to seal up the valve covers. So oil leaks out. If they get really bad, then they can definitely have a huge leak like what you're describing. And yes, the oil coming from them can (and usually does) reach the exhaust manifold.

Here's a guide that will help you find that leak: https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-is-leaking-oil

Check it out, follow the instructions, and let us know what you find. Then we'll be able to better guide you to fixing it. Good luck!
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BIGBEAR3
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 104,000 MILES
I recently brought my car to my normal mechanic. It hadn't had an oil change in about 4000 miles and 7 months so I already imagined the oil would be kind of old. I don't drive this car very often (obviously), mostly just to work and back, although we do take it on trips about once a year.

My mechanic showed me the oil removed and said it was milky and had antifreeze mixed in with it. He said there was probably a leak, though they couldn't tell for sure without taking the engine out and removing the heads (?). The car has been running fine for the past year with no problems. There doesn't seem to be a low amount of antifreeze in that chamber either. He presented me with a $1400 estimate for the repair. I told him I needed to think about it and took the care home. They said that the leak was possibly small and I could possibly drive it for a short period without damaging the engine, but that I was taking a risk of damaging the engine. Part of the reason I took it was that the price scared me and they didn't seem certain it was a leak until I was about to leave.

Is their story accurate? Is the price quote reasonable? Would you repair this car? I would be in a bind if I had to buy a new one. Should I take it to someone else to get another opinion. Since the oil currently in it is new, I don't think they would see the leak that the oil showed in it before. Is there another way to check for an antifreeze leak that isn't invasive? Please help. Yesterday I had no worries about this car, now I drive it with trepidation.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
Ok if the oil is milky then yes there is antifreeze getting into the oil sorry but that is what it happening. So the car is using antifreeze if may be at a fast rate but it is. Now I would not just jump to pulling the heads off and replacing gaskets as it could be the intake gasket or the intake itself. What I would do it see if he can do a chemical test. What this is is a tube you put in place of the radiator cap and put a chemical in it and then you start the car and if the the chemical changes color then you have a head or head gasket problem. If it don't change then it is an intake or intake gasket instead. If he can't do this test or don't know what the test is then call around and find some one who can. This will eliminate any guessing. Let me know how it goes.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DDSMEG
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • FORD WINDSTAR
Ford Windstar; 2000; 121,000 miles: Our oil is slowly disappearing over a period of 4 weeks. There is no oil leak on the ground/road, there is no oil any where around the pan, there is no "cloud" of smoke. It seems to be burning or leaking with no physical evidence. In about 7 days, the dip stick started at 3/4 and is now at 1/2.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRUCE HUNT
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,753 POSTS
Try pulling a plug at a time and see what the tips look like. They will likely be black and a slight pressence of oil. IF so, have a compression and leak test done if you wish to investigate further. They will tell you the condition of the cylinders.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
1OLDPOP
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 3.8L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
My daughter was driving when she smelled something "burning". She pulled over and smoke was coming from under the hood and van. She opened the hood to the smell of oil burning. There wasn't a fire but it was coming from oil getting on the exhaust. There was a large puddle of oil under the van along with a trail to where she stopped. After checking the dipstick I found that there was no oil on it. I had it towed home to further check it out. It took 4 quarts of oil to get it back into the safe range. I've ran the engine for 30 minutes and can't get it to leak so that I can repair it. Any suggestions?
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
For a leak like that check oil pan drain and oil pressure switch it sometimes they break. Or leak out the top. Also check for a bad oil filter seal it may have popped out of filter. If it's the filter get a napa, wix, or Purolator. Ac are ok as well
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
1OLDPOP
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I have already checked the oil filter, dipstick tube, drain plug and oil sending unit. I also checked for an oil cooler in which this van didn't have one. I checked the PCV valve. It wasn't stuck but it was a little "gummy" so I'm going to replace it. I've checked around the valve covers and found no evidence of leaking. For the life of me this thing has really got me stumped! For it to dump out this much oil at one time and now I can't get it to leak!
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Check trans cooler lines and p/s it may be a broken line on one of those as well.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RLP82
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 3.0L
There is oil leaking from above the oil filter. My suspicion is that it maybe the oil pressure sending unit. How do I get to this thing without completely dismantling my engine?
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
There is a special socket for those, remove the oil filter so you can get your hand there to disconnect electrical. When done change oil an dfilter it won't hurt
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SSRED
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2000 FORD WINDSTAR
My van has oil leaking into the radiator and I have no idea where it's coming from. I've flushed the rad and it will stay clear for a about a day until the oils starts leaking into it again. Any ideas as to how to fix this?

Also the needles for my speedomoter, odometer and rpms go haywire at times. The dials are just all over the place and then they'll calm down, sometimes sitting at zero and then go back to normal or just go haywire and then go back to normal. How can I fix this and stop it from happening anymore?

I know I have an electrical problem with the lights because they sometimes turn on if I hit a bump while I'm driving and to turn them off I have to jiggle the ignition. Is this in anyway related to my haywire gauges and if not any ideas as to where I can peek to stop the on/off?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! :Mrgreen:
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
I don't know that this is your particular solution, but I have seen winstars that have a rotted main harness that lays between the firewall and the engine, towards the passsenger side.

What color is the oil in the radiator? Reddish?
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SSRED
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Hey thank for responding. The oil in the radiator is kind of dark brown or black.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Although I haven't seen it personally, I have heard of timing cover gaskets causing this on the windstars.
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Saturday, August 15th, 2020 AT 9:55 AM (Merged)

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