Need help with a oil leak guys!!!

[Byoung1330]

I got a 04 tahoe 2wd. 5.3. New intake gaskets knock sensors. Has 230k on it. Has a lot of new parts. New suspension. Been a damn good tahoe. I have always used Castrol 5w30 and for some reason I went to Mobil 1 a while back. About 7 oil changes ago. I usually change it before the 3k mark. Anyway I developed a leak using the M1 so went back to castrol. It’s leaking pretty good all around filter plug an t case. Also down the starter bolts. I changed the gasket on block off plate. Felpro are the only gaskets I use if anyone ask. Yesterday I dropped the pan and changed it. Changed the o ring on pickup while I was in there. Still leaking. Changed the valve cover gaskets just for the heck of it. Didn’t think it was them. Did the new updated valve cover on driver side with the better Pcv. Only thing I haven’t checked is crank sensor if those leak. And the oil sensor on back of intake. I checked it with small camera but I just see build up. Don’t really look wet but it’s hard to tell. I hope it’s not the rear main an I don’t think it is. It’s dry in inspection hole and when I had my pan off yesterday u can see it pretty good and if it was leaking I would think the crank would be wet or have some sign of oil. It looked dry. I did think it was the small bolts on back of pan. There are 2 long ones that u only torque to 106 in lb. I thought I messed them up I torqued everything about a month ago an didn’t know then they had a different spec. I did them at 18 ft lb like the rest of the pan. Thought I stripped them so left them alone. Put new bolts in with the pan and they torqued up fine. I did use the same pan also. It looked rough like it was cracked on the inside but don’t look it on the outside. I think it may be normal not sure. Anything I’m missing.

 

[Jason in DLH]

Could be the valley pan gasket.

 

[BADRIDES]

That's why I only use 10w-30 and wont switch over to Mobil-1 is cause I dont want any leaks.

 

[tomloans]

Probably a stupid question but I assume you confirmed it is engine oil. That will definitely help.

In a situation like this, your best friend is brake cleaner. You need to spray the areas involved heavily then wipe it down in every nook and cranny you can reach. Make the suspected area shine and work your way away from the suspected area as it could be dripping from a different spot. Once you are thoroughly cleaned up and wiped up as well ( notice the word thoroughly ), then take it for a 5 mile drive and crawl underneath to see what is up. If nothing shows up right away, wait for it to get cold again and then crawl underneath again. Look in the crannys everywhere to see if you see a drip forming. When you finally see the drip follow it to it's source. If it is dripping from the bell housing of the tranny, then well you have to make some decisions. Take your time and you will locate the issue.

 

[Byoung1330]

Probably a stupid question but I assume you confirmed it is engine oil. That will definitely help.

In a situation like this, your best friend is brake cleaner. You need to spray the areas involved heavily then wipe it down in every nook and cranny you can reach. Make the suspected area shine and work your way away from the suspected area as it could be dripping from a different spot. Once you are thoroughly cleaned up and wiped up as well ( notice the word thoroughly ), then take it for a 5 mile drive and crawl underneath to see what is up. If nothing shows up right away, wait for it to get cold again and then crawl underneath again. Look in the crannys everywhere to see if you see a drip forming. When you finally see the drip follow it to it's source. If it is dripping from the bell housing of the tranny, then well you have to make some decisions. Take your time and you will locate the issue.

No it’s blinker fluid lol. No I know some people are stupid as hell so gotta ask. I ended up fixing it. Not sure what it was out of all the stuff I did but only thing I didn’t do was rear main. So it was either pan gasket or oil sensor. An a few good oil changes if anything but Mobil one an it went away