Engine oil leak

2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO
120,000 MILES • 2.2L • 4 CYL • 2WD • MANUAL
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JONAH OLSON
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  • 1 POST
I've got a pretty serious oil leak. Like a quart every thirty forty miles. From what I can tell it looks like it's coming from where the transmission and the engine come together.
Oct 5, 2019 at 10:03 PM
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94 TRANSAM
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 680 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Hi and welcome to 2CarPros.

It sounds like your rear main seal went out. Repairing this will require dropping the transmission. Would you like advice on how to do the job?

Rich
Oct 5, 2019 at 11:37 PM
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STEVE W.
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 15,200 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Welcome to 2CarPros. That doesn't sound good, leaking that bad it could be a failed rear oil seal or the seal between the case halves as shown in the second image or possibly the oil pressure sending unit as well, if it's leaking above the bell housing and not under it then it is more likely the valve cover seal (item 5 in the 1st picture) or one of the oil gallery plugs on the back of the cylinder head (items 21 and 22 in picture 1) . I wouldn't drive it in that condition, the oil loss could cause oil starvation in the engine or a fire as it leaks onto a hot exhaust system.
The first thing to do would be to clean off all of the oil you can using towels and some engine cleaner. Then look close for signs of the leak, if you cannot see it easily you can dust the area with some baby powder and then look for that to get wet or washed away from the leak.
Oct 5, 2019 at 11:40 PM
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