Rear Main Seal Leak & Fuel issue - related?

[RealJakeMalloy]

Beach City Broncos El Cajon, Ca.

Mark -you got room or is there a months long waiting list? I am in Cardiff.

 

[DirtDonk]

I’m guessing you never had an oil use Issue before?
A shop changed the oil and within 100 miles it was empty.
Sounds fishy to me.

I assume you would’ve noticed if you were leaving a trail of oil down the street when you were driving after you refilled it (thinking missing or loose drain plug). But then again, maybe you weren’t looking for it in all the excitement.

Maybe look underneath it now and see if a new plug is installed.

 

[JeepGuy]

Bronco has a rebuilt 302 with about 5,000 miles on it over the last few years. Been running great - especially the last few months. Highway driving, backroads, etc. Today on the highway about 10 minutes into the ride she starts to shutter like she is running out of fuel. I was able to get off the highway but after about another 100 years she cut off. I was able to restart but same thing happened again and I noticed the oil pressure going to 0. When I was able to pull over I pulled the dipstick - dry. No idea why - no leaks of any kind in the recent past.

I put in 6 quarts of oil in hopes of being able to get it to a nearby shop. Starts up and we get about another mile when it happens again - shuttering like it's out of fuel and cuts off. This time it happened going up a hill. Only now I see a leak from under the truck. I get it towed to a local shop who says two things:

1. Rear main seal leak - he won't work on it. Too much hassle.

2. The turning off is unrelated to the leak - also won't work on it.

Charges me $180 for this and tells me to take the truck. I live about 5 min down the road so I assume I can get home with the truck full oil - only it happens again. This time it is clear it is related to the fuel system. The truck is leaking but when it starts the oil pressure is 50 and holding steady,

If I wait long enough it will start and get about 1000 yards give or take. I am ALMOST home - about 200 yards away but I live up a big hill. I made it 75% up the hill and it cut off again. I think I am close enough to tow it to my driveway with my Land Cruiser.

Is there any obvious fix? Is the leaking main seal related?

I am not mechanical at all although I will say Gemini diagnosed both issues right away.

PS: - anything to be concerned about towing it up a hill for about 100 yards? I have holes to put hooks onto the frame.

Hello,

First off, you've come to the right place for Bronco advice. Some very knowledgeable people in here with decades of experience (Not me, I'm one of the guys asking a ton of questions of the experts) .

Couple quick suggestions:

1) Become a contributor and that way you can take pictures with your phone and upload them here. It's like 12 bucks (I need to renew mine).
2) Where do you park your Bronco and is there puddle of oil?
3) Look under the Bronco at the back of the engine and see if there is a large amount of oil on the bottom side of your Bronco.
I ask that because the low oil pressure you are seeing could simply be because you are cranking it without it firing. Obviously this depends on several circumstances but just trying to offer a bit of slightly simple reasons. My oil pressure gauge doesn't immediately go to standard range until the Bronco is idling or without me cranking the starter consistently for 30 secs or longer.
4) When is the last time the fuel filter was changed?
5) Do you know if it is a stock style manual fuel pump?
6) Where is your fuel filter? If it is a clear plastic one, do you see fuel in there while cranking?
Tell us a little bit about your engine... Is it stock with a Carburetor, or is it maybe modified with fuel injection?

If you had to add that many quarts of oil, something is either very wrong with the engine, or there was never that much in it to begin with.

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

Hello,

First off, you've come to the right place for Bronco advice. Some very knowledgeable people in here with decades of experience (Not me, I'm one of the guys asking a ton of questions of the experts) .

Couple quick suggestions:

1) Become a contributor and that way you can take pictures with your phone and upload them here. It's like 12 bucks (I need to renew mine).
2) Where do you park your Bronco and is there puddle of oil?
3) Look under the Bronco at the back of the engine and see if there is a large amount of oil on the bottom side of your Bronco.
I ask that because the low oil pressure you are seeing could simply be because you are cranking it without it firing. Obviously this depends on several circumstances but just trying to offer a bit of slightly simple reasons. My oil pressure gauge doesn't immediately go to standard range until the Bronco is idling or without me cranking the starter consistently for 30 secs or longer.
4) When is the last time the fuel filter was changed?
5) Do you know if it is a stock style manual fuel pump?
6) Where is your fuel filter? If it is a clear plastic one, do you see fuel in there while cranking?
Tell us a little bit about your engine... Is it stock with a Carburetor, or is it maybe modified with fuel injection?

If you had to add that many quarts of oil, something is either very wrong with the engine, or there was never that much in it to begin with.

Thanks! I have been posting or lurking on this site for decades - never realized there was a fee or you could upload pics. I have a couple of good recs for some local mechanics that seem to work on old cars so gonna give a call. Appreciate the advice.

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

I’m guessing you never had an oil use Issue before?
A shop changed the oil and within 100 miles it was empty.
Sounds fishy to me.

I assume you would’ve noticed if you were leaving a trail of oil down the street when you were driving after you refilled it (thinking missing or loose drain plug). But then again, maybe you weren’t looking for it in all the excitement.

Maybe look underneath it now and see if a new plug is installed.

In fairness I drove 100 miles before the issue arose - so hard to say it was the shops fault. But they do suck and will never get my business again.

 

[Bung72]

In fairness I drove 100 miles before the issue arose - so hard to say it was the shops fault. But they do suck and will never get my business again.

Double check that when they replaced the oil filter, they didn't leave the old "O" ring stuck to the block and put the new filter over it resulting in a doubled up "O" ring. One of them will surely blow out. Best of luck!

 

[nvrstuk]

Thank you. Yes, you have the sequence correct. I think it took a bit for the added oil to get thru the system but it shows full now. I am not mechanical so will try and figure these items out but first think is to get it home and on flat ground. I only want to tow it once more - to the shop that will do the actual work.

1st- never go back to that shop- ever

2- so the dipstick was low, you put in 6 qts and you checked the dipstick and it was right on "FULL"??? IF SO, you were totally out of oil. Not sure how that could happen in 100 miles that you said you drove. Burning 3 qts in 300 miles of driving would have you looking like your rig is on fire with all the smoke coming out of the pipe. A little bit of oil burns for a LONG time.... serious, 1 qt of oil every hundreds miles puts out VOLUMES of blue smoke. Anway- engine is not likely to live much longer (if any) if it really had zero oil left in it. No leaks and you would REALLY NOTICE 6 qts of oil burning off.

3- find a good shop. Looks like new posts above my long winded one here by the SoCal guys should help.

4- filter or bad pump since 90% of mech sbf fuel pumps are garbage.

5- I would suggest asking the group about each and every repair before the next guy screws ya since the last shop doesn't seem thical at all...
We are happy to help. I can tell ya this... the answers here might take a few hrs to a day to get answered but they will be correct and you won't have the drama of FB... just saying.

 

[bronco italiano]

Encinitas, CA

Tons of EB skilled people in your area.

 

[Master Chief]

Mark -you got room or is there a months long waiting list? I am in Cardiff.

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

Tons of EB skilled people in your area.

Tons? Other than Mark who else? I was told they are few and very far in between!

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

1st- never go back to that shop- ever

2- so the dipstick was low, you put in 6 qts and you checked the dipstick and it was right on "FULL"??? IF SO, you were totally out of oil. Not sure how that could happen in 100 miles that you said you drove. Burning 3 qts in 300 miles of driving would have you looking like your rig is on fire with all the smoke coming out of the pipe. A little bit of oil burns for a LONG time.... serious, 1 qt of oil every hundreds miles puts out VOLUMES of blue smoke. Anway- engine is not likely to live much longer (if any) if it really had zero oil left in it. No leaks and you would REALLY NOTICE 6 qts of oil burning off.

3- find a good shop. Looks like new posts above my long winded one here by the SoCal guys should help.

4- filter or bad pump since 90% of mech sbf fuel pumps are garbage.

5- I would suggest asking the group about each and every repair before the next guy screws ya since the last shop doesn't seem thical at all...
We are happy to help. I can tell ya this... the answers here might take a few hrs to a day to get answered but they will be correct and you won't have the drama of FB... just saying.

Is it possible to over fill the car? I am now wondering if the main issue is really just the fuel issue and the leak was because there is/was too much oil in the car? When I pulled over the dipstick was dry and because the oil pressure gauge went to zero when the car cut off I assumed an oil issue and fed in 5 quarts. But in the end the real issue was the inability to get fuel to the car. Yes, there was oil leaking but even now - with the car home - there is almost no oil on the ground.

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

Is it possible to over fill the car? I am now wondering if the main issue is really just the fuel issue and the leak was because there is/was too much oil in the car? When I pulled over the dipstick was dry and because the oil pressure gauge went to zero when the car cut off I assumed an oil issue and fed in 5 quarts. But in the end the real issue was the inability to get fuel to the car. Yes, there was oil leaking but even now - with the car home - there is almost no oil on the ground.

After further thinking I think the car was over filled - the dipstick appeared low because of the stuttering of the truck. When it cut off the oil had not circulated back to where the dip stick would look full. So I added oil. This main what is likely just a "weep" look much worse. The real issue is the fuel issue and I hope the engine is fine - just with a bit too much oil that needs to be drained?

 

[nvrstuk]

When you shut the engine off within 30sec the oil level on the dipstick should be within 95% of what it will be in 1 min. Maybe even more.

So if your dipstick says full now, it's fine UNLESS your dipstick isn't the right onel

 

[ntsqd]

Drain it of oil. Pour in 5 quarts, check the dip-stick. Where does the oil show on the stick?

 

[JeepGuy]

After further thinking I think the car was over filled - the dipstick appeared low because of the stuttering of the truck. When it cut off the oil had not circulated back to where the dip stick would look full. So I added oil. This main what is likely just a "weep" look much worse. The real issue is the fuel issue and I hope the engine is fine - just with a bit too much oil that needs to be drained?

Pull the dipstick now and see what it reads?

Also, become a contributor and start posting pics of what you are talking about.

 

[nvrstuk]

I mentioned the dipstick being wrong for the application because I lost an engine once because of that. Engine showed full, wife drove the "new" car almost 38 miles and it spun a rod brg. I pulled the plug and maybe a few drips. The dip stick would hit the bottom of the pan and bend over and read the 2 cups left in the bottom of the pan as "FULL" on the dipstick... wow, never trust anything OR anybody!

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

Pull the dipstick now and see what it reads?

Also, become a contributor and start posting pics of what you are talking about.

Dipstick shows full right now. And would love to become a contributor.

 

[Master Chief]

Follow the link below Jake. It’s $12.00 a year to become a contributor and it goes towards supporting this website.

https://www.classicbroncos.com/photoupload.shtml

 

[bronco italiano]

Tons? Other than Mark who else? I was told they are few and very far in between!

That is odd. There should be a ton of EB enthusiasts down there. Too bad you are not in the 209, many EB people up this way.

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

Follow the link below Jake. It’s $12.00 a year to become a contributor and it goes towards supporting this website.

https://www.classicbroncos.com/photoupload.shtml

Thanks!