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Thread: Locating oil leak

  1. #1
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Locating oil leak

    I finally located a small oil leak. I've had the leak for years but, was unable to isolate the exact location until now. I knew it was coming off the front of the engine but, the oil seal was dry. The case at the seam was my best guess.

    Today, I removed the engine cowling and alternator. Then I washed down the engine. I hooked up the hose of my shop vac with duct tape to the engine breather. Plugged the shop vac hose into the pressure side of the vacuum and turned it on. With a spray bottle of water and soap I was able to locate the exact spot oil was seeping out of the case. Very tiny but visible air bubbles came out where the leak was.

    Now to fix it without splitting the case...

    I'm going to try the same trick only using the vacuum side of the shop vac and apply Pro seal on the outside. We'll see. I won't know if it works for a while.

    Maybe, someone else has had success.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  2. #2
    CamTom12's Avatar
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    Default Re: Locating oil leak

    That’s a really good idea, thanks for sharing!

  3. #3
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Locating oil leak

    I have seen ProSeal and epoxy applied in that area before. I have had them seep through the bolts and had luck removing the bolts, cleaning the bolts and hole and using aviation permatex and retorqueing.

  4. #4
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Locating oil leak

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Pierce View Post
    I have seen ProSeal and epoxy applied in that area before. I have had them seep through the bolts and had luck removing the bolts, cleaning the bolts and hole and using aviation permatex and retorqueing.
    My hope is that with the vacuum hooked up to the breather, creating a lower pressure inside the case, I can get some of the adhesive to actually be pulled into the seam. I washed the outside with acetone while I had the vacuum applied to the case to try and prepare the surface and the seam. I don't think glue applied to the outside will hold up unless it gets into the seam. Hopefully, it works.
    Last edited by Stephen; 04-24-2019 at 08:02 AM.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Locating oil leak

    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen View Post
    My hope is that with the vacuum hooked up to the breather, creating a lower pressure inside the case, I can get some of the adhesive to actually be pulled into the seam. I washed the outside with acetone while I had the vacuum applied to the case to try and prepare the surface and the seam. I don't think glue applied to the outside will hold up unless it gets into the seam. Hopefully, it works.
    I used to do similar with weeping rivets on Mooney tanks. There I used green lock tite since it flows a little better. The Pro Seal May be to viscous to draw through the void.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Locating oil leak

    Quote Originally Posted by dgapilot View Post
    I used to do similar with weeping rivets on Mooney tanks. There I used green lock tite since it flows a little better. The Pro Seal May be to viscous to draw through the void.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Thanks for the tip.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

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