So I have an oil leak on my new motor. Less than 200 miles.

Could it be loose headstuds? (I think your supposed to Retorque them after a couple of heat cycles)

Need to resurface the head?

Any help would be help. Thanks!

 

 

Define "new motor." Crate engine or rebuild? Perhaps it wasn't torqued in proper sequence?

 

Well new short block. Head was off my old block. About to pull the cams and check the torque on the studs

 

torque sequence, the order in which you torque the bolts.

 

I don't know the sequence. Someone else did it. If I all un torque the nuts would I have to change the headgasket?

 

If the leak isn't that big you can try cleaning it up with some brake cleaner and hit it with some rtv and let it cure/dry for 24 hours. Then see if it holds.

 

i thought about that but that's like putting a band aid on something. I want to figure out why it's leaking. Thanks for your option tho.

 

I would borrow a torque wrench & go over the bolts "in sequence" .... look up specs online if you don't have a manual ... & if something doesn't stand out then I'd pull the head & have it checked at a machine shop.
Any other problems like a miss or skip?
Maybe could've had a gasket move a tiny bit & get pinched/torn when installed causing the oil leak ?
Is the oil showing signs of water "milky" or vice versa ?
You could do a leak down test on each cylinder before removing the head.

Just my 2 cents

 

no other problems. Did a compression test and all cylinders were the same. Torquing them in sequence soon.

Did is have a misfire problem around 6k at 6psi (turbo and vtec off) but that was due to bad spark plugs

 

Did you put a straightedge on both the head and the block? If it were MY car, I would take the head back off, check the block and head with a straight edge, replace the gasket, and torque in sequence (there's like 3 steps to this).

 

If I go to Retorque them in the correct sequence and they don't tighten, then I'll do this. The block was fine. It's the head that I think is the problem.

 

If the leak was causing or being caused by any kind of performance issue I could see wanting to find the source, but since your car is performing fine I wouldn't have any problem doing it, myself.

 

As mentioned, pull the head and check both the block and the head to insure both are "flat", [just because it is a new short block does not mean it was flat] anytime a head is pulled it needs to be checked, a new HG is needed and new studs,

Using old HG is taking a chance, and used studs are "stretchered" replace them. 94

 

well I reused arp studs and used a new head gasket. Seeing that it leaks when just sitting without turning it on I'm just going to Retorque them and if it leaks then the real fun begins.

 

So the it turns out my studs were torque down... Time to bring the head the the machine shop

 

Did you straight edge the block? It doesn't matter how square the head is if the block isn't.

 

Ditto the above ^^^ 94