'94 Sundance Valdez Edition

[TC3Boy]

Hey Guys,

I got a question that you maybe able to answer or at least put me in the right direction.

I have a 1994 Plymouth Sundance with a 2.5L motor (naturally aspirated) its also a 3sp auto with a 130K on it ( 70,000 miles or so)

I live up in the Arctic and the block heater cord is broken and I could not plug it in the other night. The Temp dropped to -40. I started the car, it started fine (well fine is a relative story at -40) but she fired up and idled nicely giving me issues running wise.

After a few minutes I began to smell oil. I looked under the hood and the oil was just shooting out of the right side back (passenger fire wall side) It was dark and I could not see it too well. I lost 5 liters of oil today and only drove it a very short distance, it sounds and runs great, but loses an amazing amount of oil, it just pours out from somewhere.

The top of the valve cover is wet as well, but the whole front of the motor is dry and clean, the worst part is the rear and the accessory side is soaking wet in oil.

What should I look at as a possible cause?

Any info is greatly appreciated!

Cheers from the Great White North!

[detobias]

that *very* cold oil would have generated *very* high oil pressure when it started;
it may have pushed out the seal at the base of the oil filter,
or be leaking from one of the oil galley plugs on the side of the head?

make sure its not P/S fluid,,.,

[TC3Boy]

It is definitely not p/s fluid, I will check again, but the oil filter and the surrounding areas look dry, its all coming from the rear of the motor, from the top of the head to the bottom on the right side is very wet.

When it was running a stream of oil was pouring out!

[92TurboTona]

either the extreme cold, mixed with the blast of heat cracked the block or you have a very bad gasket leak

just follow the wet trail if you can and not freeze yourself, -40 is absolutely insane LOL

[TC3Boy]

well it looks like I blew a seal, which at the end of the day is not so bad!

The Cam seal decided to retire at -40, and had let the oil flow!

It's totally repairable!

[92TurboTona]

good to hear you solved the problem

[TC3Boy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92TurboTona good to hear you solved the problem

Yes it warmed up to -33, so with that bit of heat wave, I was able to stay outdoors for a few hours poking under the hood!

Thanks!

[92TurboTona]

its amazing that anybody can work on a motor at -33 below zero, and i am from germany and used to the cold but absolutely hate it now LOL