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Old 07-31-2016, 03:35 PM
McDonaldD McDonaldD is offline
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An elusive leak path

Hi, it's hard to believe those posts were in 2013, time flies...

One oil leak-path I overlooked in my original posts (which has come back to give me grief) - The 4.4i and 4.8is engines has an oil cooler and the oil cooler's lines attach through the alternator's support bracket...which means there is an oil gasket between the alternator and the engine block. See #2 in the attached image from RealOEM:
02 Gasket 1 12317507808 $1.48
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The work required to replace the seals in the upper motor almost certainly requires the loosening/disturbing the alternator bracket. If this bracket is disturbed, it will almost certainly become a leak. Replace, if disturbed, regardless of whether or not it was leaking before. If not replaced at this time, the gasket is guaranteed to start leaking as oil gaskets are not designed to be re-used. Unless the alternator bracket's oil seal is replaced (if disturbed), you'll likely continue to experience at least some of the symptoms (if not all of them).
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