how serious are these oil leaks

[urban_clown]

Just wondering how serious these oil leaks are? There from a VB commodore that im looking at buying. The 2nd one looks pretty bad. How much would it cost to repair?

[DANNY8]

The first one looks like the pinion seal in the diff. The seal prolly costs under $10, but putting it in might be a challange. Unbolt the tailshaft and drop it. I think ya should get away with just undoing the pinion nut (which will be the hardest part probably lol....it's reverse thread too), pop the end off which the uni joint goes in, might have to tap/slog it off with a hammer coz it goes over splines and it's prolly been there a while. When that's off the seal should come out if ya grab it with some pointy nose pliers, or by using a flat head screw driver and levering it out. Put a rag in to clean where the seal is, but don't get any crap in the diff, put oil around where the seal has to go, then tap a new seal in. Use a big socket the same size as the seal which will make it easier. If ya haven't got one, just go to Repco, buy a single one, use it, clean her up, and return it haha (if ur a tight ass). But yeah then put the bit back on which goes on the splines, put the nut back on and do her up tight. Prolly best to mark wher the nut is b4 ya undo it, so ya can put it back in the exact same spot as b4, just to be safe.

As for the 2nd leak, it could be a number of things. Altho it's over the rack, I doubt it's that coz it's over everything else as well. It's either leaking out of a gasket, or the rear main seal, or the front seal (or even the dipstick). Looks like the sump is covered, and the kframe. I'd say possibly the sump gasket and or front crank seal (in the timing cover). If ya take some more pics of around the motor I might be able to pin point that one a bit better.

As for how serious they are....alot of old girls look like that underneath, especially here in SA coz we don't have to get them checked for rego. As long as ya keep topping up ya fluids ya should be fine. But obviously fixing them would be better. There's nothing like having a car (especially an older one like that) which ya check ya fluids regularly in, but ya know in the back of ya head that they'll be fine anyway coz everything is up to scratch.

[ari666]

id be worried about your steering rack boot which looks like its about to fall off, mate. other than that agree with danny 100%

[VK SL 3800]

I would guess that all of the above would be leaking to some extent, but if you cant see and drops of oil about to drip off its not an excessive leak, almost every old holden leaks out the rear main.

[jakbob]

As Danny said, most old girls look like that underneath, and generally they're very slow leaks. If you're worried about passing rego or roadworthy, just give it a good clean before you take it in, and with any luck they won't even notice. If your feeling naughty, that is. Some old vehicles just seem to leak whatever you do. They say old Jaguars come with oil leaks from the factory.

[VK SL 3800]

Thats what my old man says about all old holdens, "if its not leaking from the rocker cover, something isnt right"

[Darren_L]

I'd agree with the diff pinion seal - as suggested mark the position of the yoke nut before you remove it, and when you re-assemble, tighten the nut to the same spot. There is a crushable spacer fit between the yoke and the bearing. If you overtighten the nut, you will completely collapse the spacer.

second pic, I would say the power steering top pinion seal is leaking. The oil around the lines and power head looks like a light viscosity oil consistant with power steering fluid rather than engine oil. Unless you've rebuilt a steering rack before, probably easiest solution is get an exchange/rebuilt rack. They aren't overly expensive.

[ari666]

They say old Jaguars come with oil leaks from the factory.

my mates old man used to say "driving old english cars is like taking your dog for a walk, every five minutes they need to stop and take a piss"

[vktorana]

lol i like that one ari!