Massive oil leak 4.6 front timing cover area

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Amos Dunham

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Great advice! I may have to wrap my head around it a bit! The lobsters are certainly not out of the question!
 

Amos Dunham

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I thought I replied already... guess not. Thanks for the insight. Ticking time bomb is not something I care to tempt! Now you've got me second guessing everything! Lobsters are never out of the question.
 

BeemerNut

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Worse case a damaged cover, i'd pull one out of Pick-n-Pull ahead of time or whatever is in your area for a backup cover vs Stealership or LR parts supply company ouch prices.
By this also check the used cover's oil pump vs yours which one has tighter pump gear clearances including lapping the cover plate if it has score marks or which of two are the best. DO NOT mix and match pump gear sets.
Another thing check the pressure relief valve piston bore for wear a known issue that can also cause a stuck bypass piston in the open position with thick cold oil that later thins out with heat causing low oil pressure just above or below the "idiot light" turning on at idle. Not knowing without a gauge your oil pressure at idle and at full temp upper rpm range.
Center console a tight space between the stick shift boot base flange and the rear of the console a 2 1/16" gauge will just fit in where I installed one on the 95 D1.
Also lightly polish the ends of the relief piston not touching the sealing contact area to the case but break any sharp edges to prevent piston from sticking in the bore. Even a thin washer behind the spring increasing oil pressure an additional 6-8 psi nothing stupid plus having tight rocker bores to shaft and not worn shafts will better maintain oil pressure downstairs vs bleeding off at low idle rpm's. Flickering "idiot light" at idle 80% from worn rockers and shafts the issue, lets not forget loose rod berings due to crappy long after starting cold no oil pressure developed delays. Seen rods the babbit is gone with brass backing exposed on the top or load side. Hear the rods rattling until oil pressure comes up after a overnight drain and cold start. A oil filter with the best oil drainback valve is almost your best engine's friend. pre-oiler the best with these LR engines.
Easy rod bearing swap after checking journals for smoothness and mic checked round measurements before ordering new rod bearings. Mains hold up a lot higher mileage wise unless treated by long dry starts and dirty oil.
Plastic gauge the new rod beaings first then assemble an easy job. Tight rockers and shafts. Forget about the cam and lifters if at 60-75K miles they (OEM) are rubbish and shot their normal slow death issue not far away.
Piper cam with lifters my choice, true steel double roller timing chain with sprocket set while the cover is removed the minimum replacment parts. Get back with us your timing link belt chain slack, I bet it's toast vs the roller chain design.
Modern oils with zinc and phorsphous removed is a slow death with any flat tappet lifter engine vs roller lifter design that can operate without these additives. LR flat tappet design EPA doesn't give a damn about your engine, I do. Yeah the biggie zinc and phorsphous "will shorten Cat life". I\Yes if so you have a sick oil burner vs a LR leaker. No failing Cat issues running additives in the engine the past 143K miles, same numbers at smog checks 22 years and counting.
 

Amos Dunham

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Took cover off. Gasket was pretty dry and crusty. Completely missing in that area. I don't see any noticeable issues with cover itself. Sits flat on my cast iron table sawc‍♂️
 

BeemerNut

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Just one example of "Top Hat" liners securing the liner never fearing of failed head gaskets along with liner slip issues. Another company with "Top Hat" liners that also have O-ring groove in the liner preventing coolant into the oil should the block's thin coolant passages have any fractures which is rather common with later production 4.0 and 4.6 blocks. Going this far might as well go for a 4.9 stroker crank. No matter a 4.6 or 4.9 engine fuel it properly with a Mark Adams chip. Hell this chip wakes them up, runs better and cooler plus will pas strict Kalifornis SS smog sniff test with ease. Hell the "Tornado" chip has been installed since late 99. Also the Pre-Oiler, my engines live counting by hundereds of thousands of miles not tens of thousands of miles. No butchering installing 350 Chubbie engines in LR's I now read on LR forums. Yes i'l marked as a "Hot Rodder", at least it's a LR engine that pulls off idle not revving with great street manors a fexible engine. Not into peak Hp numbers being usless for daily street driving including stop and go traffic.......~~=o&o>......
 
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BeemerNut

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Took cover off. Gasket was pretty dry and crusty. Completely missing in that area. I don't see any noticeable issues with cover itself. Sits flat on my cast iron table sawc‍♂️
Check the oil pump and if good no wear clean it up along with cover and assemble. Use plastic or anything softer than aluminum cleaning the machined surfaces. No chisel or razor blade damaging machined surfaces.
Be sure to center the cover, by this an equal gap around the cover hole for the crank snout. I made a sleeve for the crank that has a ID slide fit along with a slide fit OD centing the cover, the oil seal will like this also lasting a long time no leaks. Replace that crank seal in the cover. Also check the oil pressure bypass plunger along with the bore in the cover. Lightly polish the bypass plunger, break any sharp edges at the ends of plunger.
I prefer Hastings LF426 filters, they are 6.93" long, 3/4" x 16 thread (Ford also vs 13/16 x 16 GM) more filtering media area than factory along with a magnetic drain plug as well a donut magnet out of a curbside microwave oven attached to the filter.
With modified sandwich adapter there is just enough room to spin on the longer Hastings FL426 filter.
With 3 qt. Pre-Oiler, hard piped across the front (Pre-Oiler) mounted left side where the jack used to be located.
Stainless flex line to the sandwich adapter mounted where the oil filter used to mount. Total oil capacity 8qt. 12 oz.
A Tee on adapter for the low oil pressure switch (idiot light) to activate relays and timer for the Pre-Oiler plus a oil pressure sensor able to read engine oil pressure plus a second sensor mounted at the Pre-Oiler accumulator. Dash switch able to read accumulator or engine oil pressures. A 2 1/16" gauge mounted to tjhe rear of the stick shift lever on the center console easy to read plus location in my case......~~=o&o>........
 

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