Hi all, I'm trying to trace an oil leak on my SRT6 coupe, and would appreciate some advice please.
Oil drips accumulate around the lower half of the oil pan - 80% on the left hand side of the pan as you look from the front of the car. It accumulates slowly and mainly on the left of the plastic splash guard under the engine.
I have had the car on ramps and run the engine hot, but can't get oil to drip. Is it possible it leaks only randomly or when the car is in motion?
The drain plug has no oil around it, and I cannot see a leak from the pan gasket nor oil sensor. The pan itself seems intact.
In terms of traces of oil in the engine above, there is none on the areas immediately above the oil pan. There is no oil from valve covers or breathers.
To complicate matters,
1) About two months ago, I could see oil dripping from the oil cooler and replaced the seals. That leak stopped.
2) I then saw oil dripping both sides onto the manifolds, but the air intake blocked my view of where it came from. The gaskets had been replaced by a mechanic about 18 months earlier. I ordered valve gaskets etc to replace them. In between times, I installed the Needs Wings SCAI, and discovered that the leak I had seen each side was no longer happening.
I've attached some photos in the hope someone has seen a similar pattern and where it comes from.
My guess is that I should replace the valve cover gaskets and reseal breathers anyway. They could be leaking from the side I cannot see, against the main block. It will be a first time job for me... big but straight forward?
Thoughts please!