[obermd]

In early May I took my 2012 ECO MT into AutoNation Buick GMC West in Golden, CO for an oil change. When I picked up my car the tech who worked on it showed me an oil leak down by the crankshaft cover. Today I took my car back for it's 90,000 mile service (Oil/Filter Change, Synchromesh drain/fill, Brake & Clutch DOT 3 drain/fill) and I mentioned the oil leak to them. When I picked up my car this evening I asked about it - the senior tech had put my car on a lift and could find no indication of a leak. He did find remnants of an old leak however so he cleaned up the dried oil and put a detection dye in the oil for my next oil change at 96,000 miles (my OLM drops about 10% per thousand miles and I change at 40%).

Now for my question, can oil coming up out of the dipstick area drain down and mimic a leak elsewhere? I ask because I had to replace my dipstick due to a broken lower o-ring on the dipstick and I had a thin sheen of oil all over the top of the engine on the side the oil leak was discovered. Basically, can my daily commute of 24 miles each way force enough oil up but allow it to drip down the engine block and end up under the water pump side of the engine but not result in an oil sheen on the top of the engine?

 

[IndyDiesel]

In early May I took my 2012 ECO MT into AutoNation Buick GMC West in Golden, CO for an oil change. When I picked up my car the tech who worked on it showed me an oil leak down by the crankshaft cover. Today I took my car back for it's 90,000 mile service (Oil/Filter Change, Synchromesh drain/fill, Brake & Clutch DOT 3 drain/fill) and I mentioned the oil leak to them. When I picked up my car this evening I asked about it - the senior tech had put my car on a lift and could find no indication of a leak. He did find remnants of an old leak however so he cleaned up the dried oil and put a detection dye in the oil for my next oil change at 96,000 miles (my OLM drops about 10% per thousand miles and I change at 40%).

Now for my question, can oil coming up out of the dipstick area drain down and mimic a leak elsewhere? I ask because I had to replace my dipstick due to a broken lower o-ring on the dipstick and I had a thin sheen of oil all over the top of the engine on the side the oil leak was discovered. Basically, can my daily commute of 24 miles each way force enough oil up but allow it to drip down the engine block and end up under the water pump side of the engine but not result in an oil sheen on the top of the engine?

well that is a bit of a mystery but since they put a dye in at next oil change should better understand what is happening. Just out of curiosity what brand of oil have you been using?

 

[Robby]

In early May I took my 2012 ECO MT into AutoNation Buick GMC West in Golden, CO for an oil change. When I picked up my car the tech who worked on it showed me an oil leak down by the crankshaft cover. Today I took my car back for it's 90,000 mile service (Oil/Filter Change, Synchromesh drain/fill, Brake & Clutch DOT 3 drain/fill) and I mentioned the oil leak to them. When I picked up my car this evening I asked about it - the senior tech had put my car on a lift and could find no indication of a leak. He did find remnants of an old leak however so he cleaned up the dried oil and put a detection dye in the oil for my next oil change at 96,000 miles (my OLM drops about 10% per thousand miles and I change at 40%).

Now for my question, can oil coming up out of the dipstick area drain down and mimic a leak elsewhere? I ask because I had to replace my dipstick due to a broken lower o-ring on the dipstick and I had a thin sheen of oil all over the top of the engine on the side the oil leak was discovered. Basically, can my daily commute of 24 miles each way force enough oil up but allow it to drip down the engine block and end up under the water pump side of the engine but not result in an oil sheen on the top of the engine?

Yes, a oil leak from above can be a fooler........a combination of gravity and the hurricane of wind underhood at speed will tend to drive any leakage towards a low pressure area.
This is why a good cleanup prior to component repair is part of a leak diagnostic, as well as the addition of dye to assist in pinpointing the leak point.

Since leaks don't repair themselves there is a fair chance this is what you observed.

Rob

 

[obermd]

Thanks Rob. I suspected but I knew someone with a lot more engine experience than I would know.