gulp...

I went to adjust the timing on my car today, and when I bent over, I saw a small puddle of oil sitting in the little cavity where the #2 spark plug sits. So how screwed am I?

 

probably coming from the valve cover (I would say about a99.9% chance)... I don't think you have a thing to worry about, except for the need for a new valve cover gasket.

 

well dang.

I checked the oil - almost none showing. I looked under the car, and it is pretty "drippy" down there. It looks like the oil pan gasket is leaking, the front main seal, the rear (a little) and that spot I listed above. Now, true, it could be the valve cover, because it could drip to all those places, but I highly doubt it. I see no "trails" going down to those places. It might be time to swap in another 200 while I rebuild this one.

Hey anyone want to sell me their 200ci?

 

looks like you may have a few leaks to deal with.

 

I've got a 460 you could stuff in there! There's no replacement for displacement!

 

Sorry man,, Isold my six about 3 or 4months ago, for $400 delivered 1,000 miles from my home.., less than 10,000 miles on overhaul, probably less than 5,000 miles actually...

I was having trouble giving it away on here, which is what I basically did....

Oil leaks are tricky, and finding their origin can be very difficult. You will need to steam clean, (or get it cleaned)the engine if you hope to find the origin of the leak(s).

 

yea i had heard you sold yours a while ago. dang.

so where do you guys think I should go from here? I posted a WTB ad on craigslist and already found a 200 from a local guy here.

Since this is my daily driver, should I try to change some of the gaskets and stuff with the engine in? or, should I try and complete a complete engine swap in one weekend.

Or heck, I guess I could rebuild the one that the local guy has up to the specs I want (hello www.classicinlines.com) and eventually drop that in there. Just sucks to have a leaking engine driving around. and it's not safe for the engine.

 

Keepa watch on your fluid levels and your engine could still last for a long time. IMO you have the right idea, buy another engine, rebuild it at your leisure, get it as complete as possible, and then make a quick switch.

Makes perfect sense....

Good luck Brother!

 

lol, but I think we all know what will happen:
***picture fades into stephen's garage***

"Well heck, we've got the engine out, let's paint the engine bay."
"And man, that suspension sure is easy to get to. Why don't we re-do that too..."
"Hey you know what, while we're at it. Let's paint the car"

haha

Thanks. I'll let you guys know what I find. Hopefully I can get an already rebuilt engine, that way I can just drop it in at the moment, and rebuild this one up to specs I want.

 

Well, I placed my ad on CL and got a few responses. First guy I called had 3, yes three of them. He said one is just a block (and I think the head). It is already honed out. But that’s it. Second one is connected to a C4, and is in storage. Third one is still in a car (which is wrecked) and has the C4 on it. The third one is the only one he can show me running. Now I come to the decision: do I start fresh with a new block, and not get a transmission? Do I get one of the spare ones he has which comes with the transmission? I’m thinking one that comes with the tranny is going to be my best bet, as I can rebuild both, and make it a pristine machine. I don’t think it will be too bad getting parts, as I can find a lot of them online. But what about having a shop rebuild it, using my parts? Do they do that? I think I know basically how an engine goes together, but when it comes to all that junk with honing and measuring and stuff, that’s not my fortè.