Look for the furthest point forward that you see oil underneath. Unless there is some type of cooler toward the rear, what you are seeing has been spraying there when driving at higher speeds. A leak has to be pretty significant for the oil to make it that far back.
You will need to wash the area with Engine Degreaser, then run the engine to see where the oil is coming from. Watch around the oil pressure sending unit in particular. Engine seals typically do not leak fast enough for oil to be sprayed around so badly, at least not all of a sudden. Oil pan gaskets are another sore point, but the problem is oil from other leaks can run down there and make it look like the pan gasket is leaking. After the engine has been cleaned, look for the highest place you find oil running down.
There are two ways to locate a leak other than visually. For real slow leaks, you can add a small bottle of dark purple dye to the oil, then check later with a black light. The dye will show up as a bright yellow stain that you can follow back to the source. Auto parts stores will have the dye for the fluid being tested, and those that rent or borrow tools should have a black light.
For faster leaks, you can use a smoke machine to inject a white, non-toxic smoke at 2 psi, then watch for where it sneaks out. The problem here is it works best if the leak is in a non-pressurized place, like the oil pan or valve cover. If the leak is in a place that is under pressure, like all the passages, the oil pump, and the sending unit, the smoke usually does not have enough pressure to push through the oil and become visible.
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2020 AT 11:37 AM
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