Car was stolen, now big oil leaks somewhere in timing belt section and oil filter

[zedjr10]

Car was stolen and not sure if engine was ruined. Leaks soo much now car becomes a smoke cloud after 10 minutes. It runs but while running it leaks badly. Only while running. One badleak is seal on oil filter. The other is that cam sprocket seal inside of the sprocket. Not sure if there are others. I have not taken lower timing belt cover off yet. Is this the result of an overrevved engine or something? Opinions please.

Second question is How would you make engine leak oil baldly like that but still run ok. Overevving creating too much pressure and blowing seals? WOuldn't valves be bent also. If valves were bent what obvious signs would i have?

Also how is that cam seal inside of cam sprocket changed? IS it just a matter of taking cam sprocket off and pushing new seal in there?

[cloudasc]

Oil leak from timing belt area? Do you know when the car last had it's timing belt done, they checked/installed the retainer for the balance shaft seal? http://bernardsblog.blogspot.com/200...l-pop-out.html

Also, when was the last time you checked/replaced your PCV valve? https://axleaddict.com/auto-repair/H...PCV-valve-test

[Raf99]

What ? You found your car ?

[zedjr10]

Oil leak from timing belt area? Do you know when the car last had it's timing belt done, they checked/installed the retainer for the balance shaft seal? http://bernardsblog.blogspot.com/200...l-pop-out.html

Also, when was the last time you checked/replaced your PCV valve? https://axleaddict.com/auto-repair/H...PCV-valve-test

Car has been rebuilt, every bushing, ball joint, coolant hose , etc. PCV valve changed in last year. Timing belt was changed less than 10k miles. Car is like brand new mechanically. I can see the cam sprocket seal leaking. Not sure what else is. Just wanted an opinion what purpose action would someone take to cause these leaks. My guess is they overrevvd engine to cause this. Oil filter is leaking bad around seal also.

[zedjr10]

What ? You found your car ?

Yes with right side totalled from door to rear quarter panel. They found it 3 days after. So what you think would cause these leaks. I know who stole my car and know he hates me. He did this with the purpose of ruining my car. Am just trying to determine if i should even mess with engine as i got to take timing section apart to see more. So anyone with any educated guesses if overevving would cause this without blowing up engine.

[Fleetw00d]

Sounds like somehow it overpressured the crankcase and blew the seals? The cam seal isn't really trapped other than by the cam sprocket. The crank seal really can't move because of the sprocket and pulley stacked over it. As cloudASC noted, the balance shaft seal can come out in normal operation, hence the added retainer. Unless they deliberately downshifted at high speed, the ECM should have prevented the engine from being oversped simply using throttle.

I suppose I'd run a compression check and/or leak down test to determine if something major is wrong internally. External seals are more easily dealt with than the head gasket, rings, or bent valves.

[cloudasc]

Like fleetw00d mentioned, the ECU should prevent over-revving, and you'd really have to beat on it (outside of a misshift) to do serious damage to the engine.

Reference (warning, contains graphic content) :


I'd say check your PCV Valve, see if it's stuck (takes only a few minutes), which would help explain the sudden onset of seal problems.

[zedjr10]

Like fleetw00d mentioned, the ECU should prevent over-revving, and you'd really have to beat on it (outside of a misshift) to do serious damage to the engine.

Reference (warning, contains graphic content) :


I'd say check your PCV Valve, see if it's stuck (takes only a few minutes), which would help explain the sudden onset of seal problems.

We sort of know that the persons intent was to do exactly that. To keep doing it till it blew or something. My car was stolen to destroy it. It sounds crazy and we are moving now because of it.

[zedjr10]

Sounds like somehow it overpressured the crankcase and blew the seals? The cam seal isn't really trapped other than by the cam sprocket. The crank seal really can't move because of the sprocket and pulley stacked over it. As cloudASC noted, the balance shaft seal can come out in normal operation, hence the added retainer. Unless they deliberately downshifted at high speed, the ECM should have prevented the engine from being oversped simply using throttle.

I suppose I'd run a compression check and/or leak down test to determine if something major is wrong internally. External seals are more easily dealt with than the head gasket, rings, or bent valves.

They deliberately did just that. Probably repeatedly until it blew the seals. It still idles fine and i don't think my valves are bent or i would think i'd notice.

It leaks really bad until there is 2.5 quarts in it seems. Not sure about that though as car sits at someone else place now.

So i should just change all of the seals as if doing the timing belt possibly and pull out cam sprocket and change that.

So i know cam sprocket seal is toast and another seal somewhere lower as it is dripping too fast and more like someone almost pouring oil down there. As i don't see that much coming out of cam sprocket seal.

Am going to do a compression test. If my compression tests are fine on all cylinders i guess a leakdown test isn't needed right?

If head gasket was blown wouldn't oil mix in with the coolant or vice versa.

ANything else you would do if you knew the person overrevved engine till oil was leaking badly.

Honestly i don't want to send car to junkyard. If engine is totally blown but jsut not recognizable yet i still want to rebuild it. The body damage alone i know is probably 4k or more at a body shop but i intend to do that myself over time. Am too attached to this car and i just got it in perfect order in all aspects.

[Raf99]

Ya. I feel bad for ya. Sorry for your loss. Guy definitely did something but at this point it doesn't matter what he did.

At this point you're ripping the engine out and re-doing it all. You'll take it out to do one specific seal and realize there's no point in putting it back in without doing that other seal, and that gasket, and the other thing, Oh... don't forget that bearing, and you want to upgrade this and that.

Just so d00d can steal your car again........

If you need a daily driver, get something elsewhere.
If you love the cb7 and want to keep at it. Find one, save it, collect parts. & then move.... somewhere cb7 safe.

[zedjr10]

Ya. I feel bad for ya. Sorry for your loss. Guy definitely did something but at this point it doesn't matter what he did.

At this point you're ripping the engine out and re-doing it all. You'll take it out to do one specific seal and realize there's no point in putting it back in without doing that other seal, and that gasket, and the other thing, Oh... don't forget that bearing, and you want to upgrade this and that.

Just so d00d can steal your car again........

If you need a daily driver, get something elsewhere.
If you love the cb7 and want to keep at it. Find one, save it, collect parts. & then move.... somewhere cb7 safe.

Those were my thoughts also. I replace one seal just to find my bearings are shot or another seal is gone also. Engine idles ok but hard to test my torque when it drains oil so fast. I figure i can test my bearings going up a hill in 3rd gear after i replace cam sprocket seal and oil filter.

I was thinking of replacing cam sprocket seal and oil filter so i can at least drive car and see if engine is shot.
Cam sprocket seal can be replaced just by removing upper cover , loosening timing belt adjusting bolt and then removing cam sprocket. Basically right? I just need to mark by belt and good to go. Right?

We are in process of moving right now.

Do i need to remove whole timing belt and stuff.

[Raf99]

Yep. You're removing the timing belt. And then you'll want to do all seals and bearings, new tensioner.

I mean technically speaking, you could find the leaks, fix them and throw it all back together and see what happens. This depends what kind of person you are though. Personally I couldn't sleep knowing I should of fixed that one thing. Plus the amount of work involved.

[zedjr10]

Yep. You're removing the timing belt. And then you'll want to do all seals and bearings, new tensioner.

I mean technically speaking, you could find the leaks, fix them and throw it all back together and see what happens. This depends what kind of person you are though. Personally I couldn't sleep knowing I should of fixed that one thing. Plus the amount of work involved.

what bearings are inside of timing belt. Sorry, i have had that off before examining the balance shaft but i have never replaced timing belt with a kit.