2002 Tahoe oil leak

[Johnny Merder]

Oil leak dripping off rear of oil pan and starter bolts. Pan gasket has been changed but no change. Anybody have this problem, I read it may be the valley cover/plate under the intake running down. Flywheel is completely dry.


Thanks

[truckdude239]

Could be the 5.3's are bad about the rear main leaking could also be valve covers or the oil pressure sensor

[Johnny Merder]

Is the rear main more prone to leak on a 5.3 than a 4.8,6.0,6.2. aren't they all the same design? I have read alot about 2-3 tries to repair leaks of this type, so I guess I am at least as good as everyone else.

[crazy longhorn]

It could be the valley cover, or possibly the cam position sensor...? I have a 5.3 that had drips on the bottom, & did not find any oil on the flex plate after the eng & trans were split. It does look wet around the rear of the block (top behind the intake) tho... Post up what you find, it may help me out also crazyL

[Johnny Merder]

I will do the dis-assembly in a week or so and post pics of my findings.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by crazy longhorn

It could be the valley cover, or possibly the cam position sensor...? I have a 5.3 that had drips on the bottom, & did not find any oil on the flex plate after the eng & trans were split. It does look wet around the rear of the block (top behind the intake) tho... Post up what you find, it may help me out also crazyL

X2 on the Cam position sensor!

[Johnny Merder]

Just got done with the upper intake and lifter valley cover re seal. leak isn't fixed. I guess I'll pull trans over Christmas and try and re seal the rear main and plate. I will post picture and more text tomorrow. This thing is about to ge tthe best of me.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by Johnny Merder

Just got done with the upper intake and lifter valley cover re seal. leak isn't fixed. I guess I'll pull trans over Christmas and try and re seal the rear main and plate. I will post picture and more text tomorrow. This thing is about to ge tthe best of me.

Did you put a new O-ring on the Cam sensor?

[BrutonLS1]

The cam sensors come with rings. Bought one from Autozone last week, cost almost $50 if I'm not mistaken

[Johnny Merder]

I removed cam sensor and checked o-ring, it seemed fine, I can see cam sensor with mirror and it still looks dry. Unless there is some breakthrough this week I guess I will pull the transmission out over Christmas break.

My wife is really starting to get crabby about the oil in her garage.

[Johnny Merder]

Ok, I put more dye in over lunch. after my wife drives home after work I will re-examine and see if I can find anything. SOB

[meter swinger]

My wifes burb was leaking like that. Camping trip to Mt. Rainier ate the trans so i paid the tranny shop to replace every last damn gasket and o-ring whether it was leaking or not.
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[Johnny Merder]

Update, I did put dye in over lunch yesterday. When my wife got home she pulled directly into shop, oil hanging on starter bolts and drain plug. I used black light to look for leaks, not a drop of dye showed up near the rear of the intake and or the cam sensor/oil pressure sending unit. I took out the inspection plug from the lower bellhousing, oil inside, a little slung around the converter, I can see the rear lip of the oil pan through that hole but not the rear main. Sure looks like oil pan, but I already changed that gasket. O well I guess I need the practice, more to be revealed over Christmas break.

[Johnny Merder]

I also read on an LS forum that the aluminum oil pans on these can crack around the bolt holes, I never thought to really check the pan that close when I had the pan off, but you would think I would have seen that.

[RWB-713]

I'd definately be suspect of the rear main. Just fixed this problem on my dad's '01 Silverado, 5.3L. Keep in mind the "rear main seal" is not the back of the oil pan gasket, It's the actual seal around the crankshaft at the rear main bearing cap. It requires removal of the transmission, or the motor to replace. All the 4.8/5.3/6.0 motors from this era I know have a large problem with that seal. My '07 5.3L is starting to show signs as well .

[Johnny Merder]

I just purchsed the rear main plate/seal from GM, it cost like $68 dollars, the intake gaskets and lifter valley cover gaskets were $125, weird. I'm puling the trans/transfer case starting Friday night, I'll try and post pics and results of the third attempt.

[Johnny Merder]

Ok, everyhing removed and new rear engine cover replaced, must be updated, looks different and has different bolts. Fingers crossed and hopeful leak is fixed. After doing it once, it wouldn't be that bad to do over again (hope that doesn't happen).

[Johnny Merder]

100% leak free! I drove about 50 miles last night and no leaks, rechecked this AM and all is good. Thanks to everyone who gave me advice, I have a very happy wife.

[Johnny Merder]

Here is a list of things I learned from replaceing the rear main.

1 Drivers side transmission connectors are glued from GM (use heat gun to loosen)
2 Use pick to remover cooler line connector (wire e-clip)
3 Separate trans and T-case where the studs are not where the bolts are.
4 Flexplate bolts just suck, get over it.
5 Center belhousing bolt hidden, even though you cant see it it is there.
6 Oil pan bolts need to be loosened to get rear cover bolts to line up correctly.
7 Make sure to get rear cover from GM, its an updated part and uses different bolts
8 Oil up the exhaust bolts the night before

[kev2809]

nice..wish i wouldve done this when i had my tahoe. i believe mine was leaking from the rear main too, but i sold it like that. i was just too nervous to try and fix it myself. glad you got it fixed, it was driving me crazy on mine too!