Oil leak

Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 3.4L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
Car is leaking engine oil from front side of car. A lot of oil on top of aA/C compressor. What kind of seals are by there?
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 5:42 PM

33 Replies

Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
I cannot think of any oil lines up there. But are you sure it is oil and not power steering fluid? They can kind of look the same and be confused easily. And if it was leaking from the reservoir it could easily ride along with the belt around to the alternator, water pump, and A/C compressor.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:05 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Could it be from the head gasket?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:12 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
Highly doubtful that it had manage to come out there and get up that high. The only oil seal up there is the front main seal, and it would not have the pressure to blow out like that. It would be seeping out and going down the front of the engine. But the power steering system has pressurized lines up there. A pinhole leak could shoot power steering oil a good distance and definitely get it up there.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:21 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
So I should inspect the power steering?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:41 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
Definitely. First start the car and raise the hood. Poke around with a flashlight and see what you can see. When you see where it is coming from, take a picture or two and we will try to identify exactly what it is.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:46 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Okay, I will do that tomorrow.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:53 PM
Tiny
JOHNNY G.JR
  • MECHANIC
  • 320 POSTS
Check the level of power steering fluid and engine oil.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 9:22 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
I checked the engine oil yesterday and it was full, but I have not check the power steering fluid yet.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 9:37 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Photo.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 4:04 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Another photo.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 4:05 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 4:05 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
Get some engine degreaser and spray it all around there. They have got instructions on the can, just make sure not to spray any electrical connectors. Then see if it comes back. To me that looks like just years of gunk and grime building up. It could be a leak of some sort, but I am not sold on it being a leak. Do go ahead and check all of your fluids, so if one is leaking you will know for sure.

If it is engine oil, it is probably from old dried out valve cover gaskets. A common issue on these cars. That is a common issue on all cars. It would be a slow leak, that runs down the front and/or side(s) of the engine.

See what you find.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 6:45 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Thank you for the reply I just recently bought this car a month ago and owner told me he just replaced the valve cover gaskets. Engine oil and power steering fluid is full.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 6:53 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
If the gaskets have already been replaced, then that is probably just old crud that was not cleaned up. Still a good idea to degrease it and see if there is a leak there. If there is a valve cover gasket leak, it would probably just mean that the bolts need re-tightening.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 6:56 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Okay cool. Do you know what would set off a cel code for P0405-Exhaust Gas Re-circulation Sensor Circuit A Low? Replaced EGR a few weeks ago code just popped up today.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 7:03 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
P0405 is saying that the signal voltage coming back from the EGR pintle position sensor is too low (possibly 0).

The way it works, simplified, is that the power-train control module (computer) supplies a twelve volt lead voltage to the sensor. The voltage goes through the sensor, and depending on the position of the sensor, returns a signal voltage. When that signal voltage is consistently less than 0.14 volts, the code sets.

Most likely causes are going to be (1) a failed sensor, (2) no reference voltage from the PCM (basically the lead wire is broken/shorted/screwed up at the connector) or (3) The ground wire is weak.

Basically, you need to make sure that you have twelve volts coming from the PCM and that the ground wire is good. If those are good, then most likely your issue is the pintle position sensor (built in to the EGR), which would not be terribly surprising if it is an aftermarket EGR valve.

You can also check the signal voltage going back if you can get a lead from your multimeter into that wire.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 7:15 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Yea, I am going to take it to a shop to check it.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 7:19 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
Okay, it is really not hard to actually test. Just sounds difficult. If you have a $10.00 multi-meter, you can do all of that testing. Or you can pay someone $80.00 to do it.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 7:21 PM
Tiny
ALEX19899
  • MEMBER
  • 171 POSTS
Well I also have P0410 code popping up. I already replaced the air pump and both check valves and checked the hoses but the code continued to pop up.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 7:33 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
Regarding the P0410 - Check #35 in the images below. It is the relay for the air pump. You can buy a relay for a few bucks and try it. Cannot hurt.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, February 22nd, 2018 AT 7:51 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links