how to identify front cam seal vs crank seal leak?

[nckwltn]

On my '03 limited (3.8L), I did the timing belt a couple of months ago, while I had the crank shaft pulley and sprocket pulled off, I replaced the crank seal. But over the last month after a longer drive, I can still smell a little oil burning. While replacing the drivers side rack and pinion bellows I noticed fresh oil coming down from right where the front crank seal is.

Is there any chance one of the front cam seals are leaking, or is it likely a bad crank seal that I put in?

I was going to replace the cam seals (I have them), but I couldn't get a good grip on the cam to be able to undo the nut that holds it on.

Also, is it possible to pull the cam covers off without pulling off the large accessory mount?

 

[Jay Ayala]

Well, perhaps you may want to start with the old baby powder trick to see if you can spot the origin of the leak.

 

[nckwltn]

Well, perhaps you may want to start with the old baby powder trick to see if you can spot the origin of the leak.

baby powder?

 

[Jay Ayala]

Yes, you read that right. Baby powder. Sprinkle it where you suspect the leak is coming from. Let it idle long enough so that it builds normal operating pressure at normal operating temperature. Then shut it down and take a peek. If you see fresh runs through the baby powder, you have found your leak. If not, then the origin is somewhere else.

 

[Jay Ayala]

I think I picked that one up from fasteddy.

 

[nckwltn]

Yes, you read that right. Baby powder. Sprinkle it where you suspect the leak is coming from. Let it idle long enough so that it builds normal operating pressure at normal operating temperature. Then shut it down and take a peek. If you see fresh runs through the baby powder, you have found your leak. If not, then the origin is somewhere else.

sounds awesome! might come in handy for the recently discovered oil leak on my Passat

 

[montypower]

If you smell oil burning it is coming from the valve cover or passenger side rear cam seal. You won't smell oil leaking from the crank seal.

Clean the engine. Make sure it's actually leaking and not just past residue. You will need to pull the accessory mount to remove the tbelt covers (unless you break them off).

 

[nckwltn]

On the gen three I can see where the oil is coming out from the front of the engine, then onto the oil pan, then onto one of the catalytic converter since it's just behind the oil pan. I'm just not sure if the oil is leaking from a camshaft seal or the crankshaft seal. I did read that someone suggested that aftermarket crankshaft seals are not as good as OEM. So perhaps I will need to get an OEM crankshaft seal.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[BOPOH]

On the gen three I can see where the oil is coming out from the front of the engine, then onto the oil pan, then onto one of the catalytic converter since it's just behind the oil pan. I'm just not sure if the oil is leaking from a camshaft seal or the crankshaft seal. I did read that someone suggested that aftermarket crankshaft seals are not as good as OEM. So perhaps I will need to get an OEM crankshaft seal.

what you said in bold sounds like you have leaks all over the place. On mine it was leaking from front camshaft seals all the way down to crankshaft seal(was good until high oil pressure busted it) and then down to oil pan, while in the back i had rear cam shaft seals (o-rings) leaking as well as valve cover gaskets and all over exhaust. I think those are the only spots that leak.