MB_500

Major blunder!!! We overfilled the engine oil by about 2-3 qts past full, and ran about 6 hrs (over 2 days) like that, until we realized it and drained the pan. Gadzooks!!! There was a lot of oiled spewed about the top and front of the car, which was painstakingly wiped off, and it is now somewhat clean and dry - at least enough where I might be able to see where it could be leaking from - but I am almost afraid to look, for fear of what I will find...

I was hoping no major damage was incurred, but it has been over a week since the incident and there are still some drip spots right under where the pan would be. And I have lost 1 quart in a week.

Any ideas where to begin looking? What part would be the first to go with an over-pressure condition like this? Oil seals? Pan gasket? Heads?!

Help!!!! I feel so bad - I clearly am not ready for such an awesome machine - :o

sosh

Its quite possible that by overfilling you blew either a front or rear seal especially in a 10 year old motor. Look around the timing cover when running and also underneath in the rear area of the engine near the transmission. Either is not a small job

MB_500

Thanks for the feedback.

How bad do you think this is? Where best to buy the parts, and how many hours' labor? It appears to be at both front AND rear, although the rear drip may just be blow-back from the front.

sosh

Don't think you can get to this without removing engine from car and opening up. At best for the rear you will have to drop the trans and remove the bell housing. You may open up a bag of worms here and have to remove the crankshaft. Better to let a good engine shop or dealer do this. If not corrected its going to get lots worse and you may have caused colteral damage by running very low on oil.

MB_500

Whew! It wasn't any of the seals - the hi-pressure return line to the intercooloer was leaking at one of the crimps, and on the top end, there was a "pin" (a bolt to the timing chain cover) that was blowing oil out. The mechanic plugged up the pin with some epoxy "clay" and it seems to have stopped it up good. The hose has to be replaced, and it also rotted out the driver's side motor mount. He tells me the engine has to be taken out to replace teh hose (is this true?), so I migh as wel do the mount then.

I am so relieved that it wasn't anything requiing opening up the engine...