What are the most common oil leak points?

[RobH2]

That lower bolt extends into the oil pan and oil can leak around the bolt itself.

I'm going to try sealing that bolt first. Thanks for mentioning it.

Here is my current solution...don't laugh...it's working. I can run the engine for a couple of hours before I need to retrieve it, strain it back into the engine and put it back.

http://nvision.s463.sureserver.com/public/FolgerOilCatch.jpg

[Dave Neptune]

Rob, be very careful here. Make sure that the crack does not go through the "seals" bosses. You could still have a crack around the seal leaking and not actually the seal and that could be a bit problematic depending on the approach you take.

I had a friend who's A-4 was leaking really bad at the rear seal and the engine ran just fine. So what we did was cut a 5-gallon bucket into a "catch pan" under the drip. This kept the oil out of the bilge and made it easy to track and clean up the oil loss. He ran like this until he sold the boat many years later. The new owner said he was going to have it fixed properly and I doubt he did.

Dave Neptune

[RobH2]

Rob, be very careful here. Make sure that the crack does not go through the "seals" bosses. You could still have a crack around the seal leaking and not actually the seal and that could be a bit problematic depending on the approach you take.

I had a friend who's A-4 was leaking really bad at the rear seal and the engine ran just fine. So what we did was cut a 5-gallon bucket into a "catch pan" under the drip. This kept the oil out of the bilge and made it easy to track and clean up the oil loss. He ran like this until he sold the boat many years later. The new owner said he was going to have it fixed properly and I doubt he did.

Dave Neptune

Ok, Dave, thanks. I'll heed your warning. Yep, my short-term solution is the same, except I have a very skinny slot and can't but anything larger than my smashed coffee can. But, it works for now.

[Dave Neptune]

If you are going to keep running do monitor that crack for any expansion. I would also go a bit easy and really listen for "new noises" as those noises could be what was doing the cracking.

Fude for thought.

Dave Neptune