Another oil leak thread

[adventurenali92]

So here’s one I haven’t heard about before... 2006 Yukon XL Denali, LQ4 6.0. 140k currently in the odometer.
1. so in the end of March the Nali went into the shop, and the did oil pan gasket, oil cooler flex plate gasket, and did the valve cover gaskets topside. Apparently after only a year of new valve cover gaskets, the passenger side valve cover was leaking bad.
2. fast forward to June and it’s still leaking and finally has time to go in. Shop says valley pan gasket... I’m like huh funny I told you guys to check that out the last time and you said it was fine... replaced the intake manifold and valley pan gaskets.
3. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago... it’s still leaking ok time to drop the trans and do the rear main seal.... fine let’s get it done. They dick around and not start on it right away, keep it overnight. I’m pissed off but whatever just get it done and put back together. Next morning guess what it’s still leaking motor oil!!!! I’m fuming!
So I show up to the shop on Thursday for washes, only I tell them I’m not washing any of their vehicles until my truck is no longer leaking oil. They put it up on the rack, and apparently the oil pan gasket is leaking again... I’m like wait we just did that In the end of March! So they said they’d fix it under warranty. Thankful for that. They’re also servicing my transmission and replacing the oil pressure sensor/sending unit, since they’re already in there. I figure the pressure sensor is a cheap part and may as well do it now.

sorry for the long post here’s my question: they said oil leaking from the camshaft position sensor gasket, anyone heard of that before? I’ve never heard of it. And secondly they said the plate on the rear main seal isn’t right and leaking...
anyone see an oil pan gasket fail and the plate on the rear main seal not hold up so closely together?! I can’t imagine both have gone bad so shortly.... but what do I know? Lol

 

[Larryjb]

It sounds like you need a new shop:

An oil pan gasket shouldn't leak so soon.
The rear cover should have been done with the rear main seal.

If they were using quality gaskets (ACDelco or Felpro etc), the above failures are most likely installation errors. For both of these to fail so soon indicates they don't know how to do the jobs. I just did both of those jobs earlier this year, first time doing it, and I'm still drip free.

However, yes, the CPS could be leaking.

 

[adventurenali92]

It sounds like you need a new shop:

An oil pan gasket shouldn't leak so soon.
The rear cover should have been done with the rear main seal.

If they were using quality gaskets (ACDelco or Felpro etc), the above failures are most likely installation errors. For both of these to fail so soon indicates they don't know how to do the jobs. I just did both of those jobs earlier this year, first time doing it, and I'm still drip free.

However, yes, the CPS could be leaking.

Yeah I know I need a new shop. But they’re long time clients of my detailing business, so I can’t just dump the relationship. Lol.
Anyways yeah they supposedly did the plate on the rear main seal. It came as a kit. Supposedly from his “good Chevy parts guy” so I’m upset. But I agree that it sounds like an installation error on they’re part. I’m just mad that I’ve spent 2 grand so far trying to shore up this leak and they can’t bother to Do it right, on jobs that are mostly profit for the shop cuz it’s mostly labor charges! Ugh. Thanks for the input!

 

[79jasper]

Just because they are a client of yours, doesn't mean you have to be a client of their's.

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[OR VietVet]

I would have done an oil dye test a long time ago on that rig/engine. As has also been said, I would also find another shop and insist on either the AC Delco gaskets or my own personal go to gasket sets, Fel-Pro. I know others will have other favs but I have used Fel-Pro for literally decades with no problems.

 

[afpj]

Had oil pan gasket replaced last year, part of changing out the oil pickup tube o-ring. Initially did fine then gradually started leaking from the front of the oil pan. The alignment looked good and all, but it turned out the 19-year-old oil pan cracked near the front corner upon reinstallation.
Camshaft position sensor is close by the oil pressure sending unit. I've read that can leak as well.

 

[Larryjb]

Had oil pan gasket replaced last year, part of changing out the oil pickup tube o-ring. Initially did fine then gradually started leaking from the front of the oil pan. The alignment looked good and all, but it turned out the 19-year-old oil pan cracked near the front corner upon reinstallation.
Camshaft position sensor is close by the oil pressure sending unit. I've read that can leak as well.

How the heck did your pan crack? It's pretty heavy duty aluminum. Did some one overtorque the bolts once?

I know I still have a leak from the front cover, but it's a slow leak that don't drip. I will just need to wipe things off ever oil change or so.

 

[PNWYukon]

This is why people think mechanics are shady as hell. You should never give them your business again.

 

[89Suburban]

If you are having issues with oil leaks getting fixed correctly by them, I would be dreadful of letting them open the trans up.

 

[OR VietVet]

This is why people think mechanics are shady as hell. You should never give them your business again.

For instance: Members here know I was in the auto repair field close to 40 years and ran shops for 30 of that. The owner's son was in yesterday with his 2017 Colorado. He has a swishing/light squeal rotational noise till he hits 25 mph. Been to the dealer 3 times to repair that problem. They hung new pads and machined rotors, did not fix it. The very first visit they told him the rotor dust shield was rubbing, did not fix problem. The dealer then said that it likely needs a new hub/bearing assembly.

The son then remembered my background. It was doing the noise yesterday all the time instead of intermittently. The noise was there a couple times when dropped for work at the dealer. I never heard the noise up front but did hear just behind the drivers seat in the middle of the truck underneath and was equally loud from either side of the truck. The noise is in his drive line. I got under it and grabbed the shaft and pushed pulled and could hear a squeak noise from that. It is at the dealer right now getting a new drive line. The dealer verified the problem yesterday. The rig only has 33k miles on it.

So basically the techs there were not spending quality time diagnosing the problem. That SUCKS A BIG ONE!

 

[TuffCowboy81]

Unle

Yeah I know I need a new shop. But they’re long time clients of my detailing business, so I can’t just dump the relationship. Lol.
Anyways yeah they supposedly did the plate on the rear main seal. It came as a kit. Supposedly from his “good Chevy parts guy” so I’m upset. But I agree that it sounds like an installation error on they’re part. I’m just mad that I’ve spent 2 grand so far trying to shore up this leak and they can’t bother to Do it right, on jobs that are mostly profit for the shop cuz it’s mostly labor charges! Ugh. Thanks for the input!

First year failures usually happen with the Dormann parts, not AC Delco or any other good part brands. I know my way around the Silverado's and most parts Dormann fail within 12 months it seems. I stopped buying them, just paid a little extra for the piece of mind. If it helps any...

 

[79jasper]

So basically the techs there were not spending quality time diagnosing the problem. That SUCKS A BIG ONE!

Because they couldn't hook the computer to the driveshaft.....

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[adventurenali92]

Unle



First year failures usually happen with the Dormann parts, not AC Delco or any other good part brands. I know my way around the Silverado's and most parts Dormann fail within 12 months it seems. I stopped buying them, just paid a little extra for the piece of mind. If it helps any...

So interestingly enough I’ve had really good luck with dorman sorts since buying this vehicle. Though I’ve never used dorman seals or gaskets. mom a separate not on that topic, I did the valve cover gaskets myself, the end of April 2019, replaced with fel-pro gaskets. In the end of March this year when the original oil pan and cooler gasket were replaced they said the passenger side valve cover was leaking. I’m like huh... strange those are only a year old they shouldn’t be leaking. Maybe the bolts on the cover are loose?! They replaced them anyways which frustrated me but I was so busy I didn’t have time to deal with it myself.

 

[adventurenali92]

If you are having issues with oil leaks getting fixed correctly by them, I would be dreadful of letting them open the trans up.

To respond to this question, I had really wanted to have the shop that rebuilt my transmission in 2016 do the service. He quoted me the same price as my shop here did for that job. However, the transmission shop is an hour drive at the bottom of the mountain away from, which requires a full day off to go down there and have them do it. So it costs me a lot of down time with work plus the fuel to drive back and forth to get it done and I just don’t have the time for that right now. My Denali is my only vehicle and it’s my work vehicle. So that’s why I had the shop here do it. Since it was supposed to get done on a day that I’d be there already doing washes on their vehicles. But that didn’t happen either. Anyways I agree with you on being weary of letting them open up my transmission. But it was the lesser of two evils at this point....

 

[89Suburban]

To respond to this question, I had really wanted to have the shop that rebuilt my transmission in 2016 do the service. He quoted me the same price as my shop here did for that job. However, the transmission shop is an hour drive at the bottom of the mountain away from, which requires a full day off to go down there and have them do it. So it costs me a lot of down time with work plus the fuel to drive back and forth to get it done and I just don’t have the time for that right now. My Denali is my only vehicle and it’s my work vehicle. So that’s why I had the shop here do it. Since it was supposed to get done on a day that I’d be there already doing washes on their vehicles. But that didn’t happen either. Anyways I agree with you on being weary of letting them open up my transmission. But it was the lesser of two evils at this point....

Understood brother.

 

[PNWYukon]

Can anyone verify that dealership service people are paid on commission rather than hourly? Then a parts cannon approach would make all the sense in the world. Of course, the same would apply for independent shops too, the more parts you have to buy the more money they make.

As always, it is imperative you have a basic understanding of your vehicle, repairs required, parts costs, part longevity, etc.....or maybe we all like spending money on frivolous, unnecessary repairs.

 

[adventurenali92]

Can anyone verify that dealership service people are paid on commission rather than hourly? Then a parts cannon approach would make all the sense in the world. Of course, the same would apply for independent shops too, the more parts you have to buy the more money they make.

As always, it is imperative you have a basic understanding of your vehicle, repairs required, parts costs, part longevity, etc.....or maybe we all like spending money on frivolous, unnecessary repairs.

Not sure who you’re referring to, but I have MORE than just a basic knowledge of my vehicle. I understand how it works, I fully understand the requirements of owning a higher mileage vehicle and what it takes to keep them well maintained.

 

[adventurenali92]

Can anyone verify that dealership service people are paid on commission rather than hourly? Then a parts cannon approach would make all the sense in the world. Of course, the same would apply for independent shops too, the more parts you have to buy the more money they make.

As always, it is imperative you have a basic understanding of your vehicle, repairs required, parts costs, part longevity, etc.....or maybe we all like spending money on frivolous, unnecessary repairs.

Also I know for a fact my shop here in big bear does not work off of commission. Yes they can sell parts marked up, and do it all the time. But the techs get paid hourly. Granted that hourly wage is pretty high up, especially because we are in California and they have tons of automotive certs.

 

[OR VietVet]

Techs at a dealership work what they call "flat rate". They are paid an hourly wage based on their experience an certs. If the job flags hours for 2 hours, then it is 2 hours times the hourly rate. If they do a 2 hour flag job and do it in 1.5 hours they still get paid the 2 hours. They also move to the next job that much quicker. In an 8 hour day a good tech can flag as much as 10 or more hours that day times their hourly wage. The service writers usually work on either a straight hourly rate or hourly plus commission based off of labor and parts sales. The service manager is likely salary wages plus commissions or bonuses. The bad part is when the tech has a come back. At that point the tech has to recheck the problem for free and settle for whatever else gets sold off that inspection or does it all for free and they either eat that time and money or they may just be paid minimum wage for the time involved.

 

[afpj]

How the heck did your pan crack? It's pretty heavy duty aluminum. Did some one overtorque the bolts once?

I know I still have a leak from the front cover, but it's a slow leak that don't drip. I will just need to wipe things off ever oil change or so.

I'm betting they dropped it, I wouldn't discount the over torque idea but like you said , that's pretty thick along the rim where the gasket mates.