Bill, Also check the side cover bolt/screws, I have a very nasty leak for well over a year which turned out to be just that cover being loose.
Well. I can't determine the source of the oil leak. Inside of bell housing is essentially clean. Oil has seeped into the juncture between it and the block. Question; The 2inch expansion plug near the top of block is into the water jacket, correct? All four of the plugs in rear of block are clean as well. Flywheel is clean too, so I'm confident the rear main seal is ok. It's looking like I've got a gasket leak that I'm just not seeing? Bill Hanlon, i think i need another set of eyes on it.
Thanks Charles. I've replaced that gasket, but now I need to check it closely. I put fluorescent dye in my oil to help find leak but there's nothing obvious. Engine is all painted so I'd expect to see a leak pretty easily. Gonna pull valve cover and replace gasket too, although it's been done as well...Can the front seal on harmonic balancer leak a quart in 220 miles? Of course, I've replaced that seal as well...
I can help after 3 this afternoon or 10:30 AM tomorrow or later. Could we pressurize the oil system (spin the oil pump with the distributor out) and maybe see the leak? Wouldn't work if we needed the engine to be hot to see the problem, but maybe. Do you have a 1/2" drill motor? We could probably make a device (screwdriver blade with a collar around the tip) to spin the pump with a drill. Is the engine runnable with current parts removed?
I have learned that I am allergic to Nickel, and Cobalt. Surgical Stainless is 18 to 30% nickel, and 3 or 4 % cobalt. That's what my artificial knee is made of..... Going in for "Revision Surgery" November 18th to replace perfectly good components, with parts made of Zirconium and Ceramic. Third time for this surgery in 22 months.... Ay Carumba! Will be going through the same therapy again for 3 to 4 months. We're real confident that the metal allergy has been the culprit keeping me in pain and inflamed all this time, so this is supposed to "FIX" the problem. Look up Smith and Nephew total knee replacement to see what Oxinium is all about, if interested...
Suddenly my troubles seem smaller. I will be watching your posts closely because cortisone in my right knee is no longer doing the trick so replacement time may be on the horizon. I've missed you two years in a row at Pate so sure hope your motoring around by the end of April.
Man, Bilbo, I sure hate to hear about your problem. I cannot imagine going through something like that. I hope and pray they get it right this time. Steve.
Here's hoping the new (?) knee works out better . FWIW , those who have Doctors jabbing needles of cortisone in your knees , be aware you're making things far worse ~ my buddy had this done to him for a few years and wound up wearing those old style leg braces like kids with polio did in the olden days , the cortisone shots have a bad cumulative effect of turning your joints into mush.... .
Man that's a hard pill to swallow Bilbo. 3rd times a charm isn't want you want, nor warranty work, when it comes to life and limb. I guess.... if trying to fins a positive spin, be thankful to live in an era where such advances in modern medicine have enabled exotic materials as an alternative. So was the Zirconium and Ceramic "upgrade" available when you had the last Nickel and Cobalt version installed or is it new technology? Do you get to keep the old parts..... maybe make a cool shift knob for your GMC. _____ John
I talked to Bilbo yesterday. He is home and the knee is doing better than the last time, although he did have a problem with a bleeder. His sense of humor seemed to be working well. I asked him if he got to keep the old parts (answer was no), but never considered using them for a shift knob. That would be too cool.
Well, I thought you might want to see the difference between the new er joint at top, and the "just barely used " joint below. The new one needed considerably more hammerin, sawin, and chiselin than the previous model, and comes with a commensurate amount of pain.
DANG!!!! Mind if I'm the first one to say, "OUCH!!!!" That hurts to LOOK at!!! Hope this time it behaves like it's supposed to! OUCH!!!!
The longer insertion rods make for a stronger finished product.... also is the reason for all that hammerin, sawin, and chiselin... Hope ya get all healed up in record time. So you changin' your member name to "The Bionic Bilbo"? _____ John
That just looks wonderful and awful, at the same time. Wonderful, that they can fix your knee, and awful, in that it hurts to look at... Dumb question of the day... How do they get those "rods" to stay in place? Some sort of glue? Or, does the muscles in your leg just hold them in? Steve.
Two words... Ouch, and Ouch. Compared to yours, my knee X-ray from last week certainly puts things in perspective. "Just" a mis-aligned kneecap for me (the medical term was a helluva lot scarier to hear). Doc said my knees looked GREAT. A little PT, and he says I'll be good as new. Dad has had 2 knees done (both, once) and he is quite mobile. I wish you a speedy recovery.
Thanks for the well wishes! I really do appreciate it! Steve, the rods and end components are held in place mostly by the fact they can't go anywhere. But to be sure, if you look at the ends of the rods, you can see a shadow of the hole that was bored, then filled with "epoxy " to keep it stable. As for the remarks about it hurting.... yep!
