Re:Oil on the hood

[Regan Dale Copple <copple@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dennis,

> I've had this problem for about four months. I've had the head gasket 
> replaced, valve cover gasket replaced twice, the engine has been gunked 
> and steam cleaned, it's spotless. I've had three different mechanics look 
> at it, including Algar in Rosemeont, PA. Not one of them can find where 
> this oil is coming from. They say there are no leaks to be found. Yet I 
> still have this oil that comes up onto the exterior of the hood and 
> streaks back towards the windshield. Is there a place the oil can 
> accumulate thats out of sight? Maybe its from the leaking I had from the 
> bad head gasket and no one can find it. I'm lost. I don't know what else 
> to do. Any help would be appreciated.

	This sounds similar to the problem I had with my 79 Spider this
summer when my top radiator hose was going, when the car was started, the
engine would heat up and the hose would squirt anti-freeze onto the bottom
of the hood near the front where it would magically make its way to the
front of the hood and streak back towards the rear on top while I was
driving.  Fortunately enough the engine provides enough residual heat and
anti-freeze is day-glow green so that I could trouble-shoot the problem
fairly easily.  But it sounds like what you have is a pin-hole leak from a
place on your engine where the pressure is such, while the engine is
running that oil jets out from the hole onto the hood producing the streak
effect.  When you shut off the engine the oil pressure drops immediately
or backflows in this location wherever it is, so that there is no residual
oil left to dribble down the side of the engine and thereby produce a
tell-tale mark.  My best advice to you is to look very closely at the
streaks on your hood and try to back-track from there to where the oil
impacts and then try to figure out the trajectory.  A second cause may be
that the oil is coming from your filler cap, mine does this too, although
mine just dumps what little oil dribbles out into the number 1 spark plug
immediately behind it.  Let me know what you find, I'm curious as to the
outcome, maybe some of the resident gurus can shed a little light also.
Happy Motoring!  Ciao!

						Regards,
						Regan Copple
						79 Spider
						73 Montreal

"Black cars look better in the shade!" - Gino Vanelli

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