oil leak on new motor

[mebe007]

okay so im a bit disapointed. i built my 350 and test ran it on a stand in august to check for oil leaks. i had none. so the motor went in the car. so i got it running before i found out about my header issue. now theres a puddle, not really a puddle but 2 spotsunder the car. its just really upsetting being its a brand new motor. looks like it might be from the pan rails since its two spots of oil one on each side of the motor. how do i fix this, can i just try and tighten them a bit more or do i leave it or do i pull the pan while its in the car somehow and change out the gasket. also if that is the case is there a 1 piece gasket that seals better?

 

[megaladon6]

double check the valve covers and run your finger behind the intake where it mates to the block/valley pan. mine had problems there from the PCV not functioning and the rings not being seated yet.
fel-pro makes a blue (neoprene?) 1-pc gasket that is very good. it has a metal plate in it that helps keep you from overtightening.

 

[Coveted]

its not a chrome pan or valve covers right?
They tend to leak.

 

[mebe007]

no its the factory pan and edelbrock cast valve covers. my block is dry in the sides. the motor does seem to have high oil pressure, could this be from blow by due to the new engine or the high volume oil pump? anyway i need to sort out the exhuast issue first then ill get to this i suppose. any more ideas?

 

[tnts79]

A high volume oil pump is kind of a bad thing with a stock pan.... It will depend on your rpms but hv pumps tend to suck the pan dry. I have a 7 qt system with a baffled pan with a windage tray and crank scraper on my 406 and I run a tweaked stock pump. I hold about 20 psi hot at idle (850-900) and 65-70 psi WOT (5500). Anyway what was your question? Oh yeah oil leaks, where are the drops in relation to the motor? Back, middle Front???

Common places
If the spots are near the back
-Back of intake
-Back of valve covers
-Distributor Hold down
-Inside the distributor itself (if its a junk accel unit!)
-Rear Main

Middle
-Valve covers
-Oil Pan

Front
-Around the Timing cover
-Harmonic Balancer Seal(if you reused a balancer it may have a groove in the sleeve causing your leak, you can get them resleeved but it's better to just buy a new one)
-Front of intake