Oil leak 07 GXP (5.3L), thought it was main, but maybe not

[penright14]

I was hoping for a second set of eyes. The last 30,000 miles I have had to add some oil and the oil pan is wet. All of this started when I replaced the valve cover gaskets. I wonder if that started holding the blow by more? The car has about 190,000+ miles. When I pull the torque converter access cover, it was completely dry.
Looking up the side of the block is dry, I don't think it is from the valve cover change out. Could it be from the oil pan gasket? I also heard the fuel pump block plate could be it.

One other question, how does the oil plug seal fit? Should it fit down in the grove? When I push it down below the threads it wants to pop up. Is this the right one? I had one from a auto parts store before this one that I got online. They both did the same thing? Also, the circular grove at the threads. Is there from years of oil changes and removing and installing the plug?

I took some picture since they can explain it better than I can. I did wipe everything down and this time I will look before the next oil change.

 

 

 

 

After driving it to work and back (60 mile) I put it up on ramps and here are some after pictures. I am starting to think it is the oil pan gasket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by penright14
Trying to get the pictures to work.

[Last American Indian]

Pictures didn’t load! That said, it could be any of what you claim, but 9 times out of 10, if you didn’t have a problem with any of those thing before the work you just now performed; go back to what you did! A valve cover leak can be hard to see. If it is a valve cover gasket, that could easily make the pan gasket look like it’s oozing oil. Did you put everything related to the valve covers back correctly? PCV? ETC.

If you can get some Gunk, wash down the engine really good. Let dry thoroughly. Than run it you might be able to than find were the oil is coming from.

[penright14]

14 hours ago, Last American Indian said:

Pictures didn’t load!

I tried to fixed them. Let's see what happens.

14 hours ago, Last American Indian said:

That said, it could be any of what you claim, but 9 times out of 10, if you didn’t have a problem with any of those thing before the work you just now performed; go back to what you did! A valve cover leak can be hard to see. If it is a valve cover gasket, that could easily make the pan gasket look like it’s oozing oil.

I don't have any pictures to show it, but the side of the block that I can see is clean. Give me a couple of days to get the car back up on ramps and I will get better pictures.

 

14 hours ago, Last American Indian said:

 Did you put everything related to the valve covers back correctly? PCV? ETC.

I hope so.  I will double check.

14 hours ago, Last American Indian said:

If you can get some Gunk, wash down the engine really good. Let dry thoroughly. Than run it you might be able to than find were the oil is coming from.

If you can see the pictures now, after the cleaning it seems to be coming from the back. I don't think it a rear main seal again, if the pictures show, looking at the torque converter it is complete dry.

 

While doing research, I found this TSB. This is scary if it is my issues. https://www.tsbsearch.com/Pontiac/05-06-01-034L

 

 

[Last American Indian]

If when you say coming from the back you mean rear of the engine block that cold be rear main. So you’ll need to step through things. I see the oil near the inspection plate. So if you can get the car up enough to pull the inspection cover, get some brake cleaner, get a bright light, look at the back of the block, the flywheel everything. Take a white paper towel wipe as much of the flywheel as you can, see if there is wet oil. Than wipe the back back of the block as best you can see if there is wet oil. If there is use the brake clean & spray down the whole back area of the block including the flywheel. If not put the cover back on & move on to the valve covers/heads & do the same thing. If nothing there move to the oil pan.

[penright14]

13 hours ago, Last American Indian said:

I see the oil near the inspection plate. So if you can get the car up enough to pull the inspection cover, get some brake cleaner, get a bright light, look at the back of the block, the flywheel everything. Take a white paper towel wipe as much of the flywheel as you can, see if there is wet oil. Than wipe the back back of the block as best you can see if there is wet oil. If there is use the brake clean & spray down the whole back area of the block including the flywheel. If not put the cover back on & move on to the valve covers/heads & do the same thing. If nothing there move to the oil pan.

Sorry, missed that picture when I edited the post. I think it is kind of an important one.  BTW, the pictures are showing now are they?

Here is the flywheel. There was no cleaning done, this is one before any wipe down.

[penright14]

On 6/14/2022 at 4:38 PM, Last American Indian said:

 Did you put everything related to the valve covers back correctly? PCV? ETC.

Finally got back to it last Friday. I think it might be the valve covers. The other issue was when I did the valve covers I clean the entire engine compartment really well. What you (LAI) said was in the back of my mind this whole time. What was throwing me for a loop was the side of the block was dry. Long story short, I think the leak was running down the head (1st Pic) to the back (well driver side in the GXP :-)) So I just pulled the valve cover just to look and found it. The mistake I made was not using the blue Felpro. 

 

 

Not sure if the picture shows what I am talking about, but the tab that goes into the slot to hold the gasket is wet. I am starting to think the oil was being pushed up and over. The car has 190,000 so I sure there are some blow by building crankcase pressure.

I can't tell, but the tab on the blue Felpro looks a tad longer

Also, not sure the round part is a little bit bigger also.

 

Kind of hard to tell, but I think the Flepro blue is 3/64 bigger.

I know you are not suppose to use RTV, but I did put a little in the slot, just in case my theory about crank case pressure is pushing it around the tab. 

I remember back in the day, we had challenge keeping valve cover gaskets on our V8 Champ Dirt. It was dishearten to see that puff of smoke. Although it was nice to confirm it was not a rod making a quick exit. :-)