chassuter

This past weekend I replaced my timing belt on my 03 EVO VIII w/ the Gates performance kit from mitsubishiparts.net. I replaced all parts that came with the kit, and followed the instructions on the "How to" thread that I found on here.

When I was done I fired her up and everything ran great, but when I got back from taking it around the block I noticed I was leaking oil. My first thought was the oil pan as the instructions told me to raise/lower the motor via jacking on the oil pan (which I didn't like the idea of). And yes I used a piece of wood on the pan. It looks like it's coming from the oil pan seal on the timing belt side right in front of the filter.

Since this weekend I have dropped the oil pan and re-sealed using ultra grey RTV, but it's still leaking... I'm starting to worry that it's more than the oil pan seal and maybe the main seal, balance shaft seal or oil pump seal. There are also the oil cooler return lines that run through there and attach above the filter which I am also suspecting now. It only leaks when the car is running and a few minutes after it's shut off.

All of the seals I mentioned above looked dry when I was in there doing the timing belt. Does the hydraulic tensioner flow engine oil through it? Any help would be very appreciated... This is my first post, but I have been on here for a while. I usually find the answer to my question, but in this case I didn't find anything quite like this.

05blue8

iTrader: (28)

How big is the leak? A few drops? Is it pooling? The tensioner doesn't have oil going through it, it's fully self contained. It doesn't sound like you've pin pointed the area of leak yet. Take off your upper timing belt cover and take it for a drive and get it at full boost (do this to increase the pressure and cause the oil to leak). Stop the car and check around the timing belt side of the car, the power steering lines, anything over there to see if any oil sprayed on any of it. Does your timing belt have oil on it at all? Hand crank it to check it out. I had a small leak and I found it by first checking the leak with the upper cover on, then took it off and noticed that there was oil on the power steering reservoir and also the power steering lines, ended up being a cam shaft seal that was crooked somehow. Try that and let us know if it helps pinpoint it!

chassuter

It's a decent leak... leaves a puddle everywhere I stop, yet I get to work in the morning (25 mile drive) and the dip stick is only slightly down. When I'm laying under the area I can see the timing belt through a small crack in the lower cover, and it's still bright blue. Doesn't mean there's not some oil on it. I'll pull the upper cover tonight to make sure. I'll definitely be jumping under her asap tonight!! Thanks for the reply, I'll post what I find tonight.

EvoHung

iTrader: (18)

Tighten up your timing belt tensioner bolts. When reading the how-to thread on here, be sure to read ALL of the pages on that thread. Very helpful information throughout that thread.

JordanS4

iTrader: (11)

Just fixed a similar leak to what you're describing and the tensioner not being all the way tight was the problem. Oil flows right behind it through the pump not through the tensioner but if the bolts are loose this will seep a good bit.

chassuter

That's the kind of info I was looking for, and it's what I was worried about... Looks like I'll be ripping into her again It does almost look like the oil is seeping from inside the timing case, but it's so hard to tell. Hopefully I'll have some answers tonight. Thanks for all the good ideas!!!

Bobster22388

iTrader: (13)

Did you replace the cam seals, balance shaft seal, and the crank seal while you were in there? I know it only takes one little nick on the edge of those seals or just to not be sitting flush in there and it will cause you a good bit of a headache.

SBR INC

iTrader: (17)

yeah buddy, really sounds like you have a lose bolt at the tensioner. It's a commonly over looked thing. I even did it one time many many years ago on one of my motors. One of those "damn it, how did i miss that" moments.

Keep us posted.

lemmysports2

iTrader: (27)

if you have the service manual it says this on page 11B-11
".
>>B<< ENGINE SUPPORT BRACKET INSTALLATION
Coat the threads of the seal bolt A in the illustration with 3M

AAD Part number 8672 or equivalent before tightening.
Tightening torque: 49 ± 5 N⋅m (36 ± 3 ft-lb) "

possibly one of the bolts on the engine bracket touches an oil reservoir and this could be causing your leak.

for some reason i cant upload the picture from the fsm but this is the bolt that is supposed to be coated in rtv



hope this helps and let us know how you make out

chassuter

I didn't get into any of the seals so I don't think that would be it, but I'll definitely be checking them out. I did look at them during the timing install and they all looked dry though... I had the top cover off tonight so I can verify that the cam seals are good.

chassuter

When I got home from work tonight I pulled the upper cover and the cam seals were good as well as the belt being dry. The oil is still coming from the same place as before so I guess I can rule out the oil pan since I re-sealed it. The exact place the oil is coming from is directly below the crank (on your picture). I think the oil is just running down the inside of the timing cover and looks like the oil pan seal. Makes sense that the belt would stay dry if it's just staying on the inside of the cover until it runs out.

The particular bolt your arrow points to I didn't take out though... I did remove or replace the hydraulic tensioner, tensioner arm (the bolt the arm swivels on), water pump, idler & tensioner pulleys. I'm sure it's one of those bolts. Maybe I missed something in the instructions... I'll have to double check them.

You guys helped a lot to point me in the right direction, thanks!! Unfortunately I won't be able to dig into it until next week b/c it's supposed to rain the rest of the week and I'm going away this weekend. Wish my garage didn't have a hole in the roof!! I'll keep everybody posted on how it turns out. Thanks again!

def1

iTrader: (6)

most likely the tensioner bolt. Its happened to me twice. Once the shop missed it and the second time i missed it lol. Its a common mistake.

chassuter

It sounds like it's most likely the tensioner bolt which makes perfect sense since it's right above where the oil's coming out. Assuming it is one of those bolts it probably means my balance belt's getting hammered w/ oil? Does anybody that has had this problem know if that's true? If that is the case should I replace it or just clean it as best I can?

I've also been reading more since I've done the job about how the pin on the tensioner is supposed to slide in/out freely for the perfect tension... When i installed mine it pushed out a little bit, enough that I couldn't freely insert the pin again. How much does this matter? Should I try to re-do the tension so the pin slides freely when I'm in there?

scheides

iTrader: (10)

+1 +1 and +1, def check all the bolts, and if your belt is covered in oil.....might consider just replacing it

L888Apex

iTrader: (94)

I had a similiar leak and it was coming from the cam seal being put on wrong