Odd oil leak...

[AutoXinE30]

I have an odd oil leak. As far as I can tell it's coming from the front of the motor or the front passenger corner... But this is what makes it weird. Some nights it will leave a fairly decent sized puddle under neath the car. Other nights it will seem like it's only maybe 20 drops of oil in the same period of time. Nothing I have found yet specifically makes it leak more or less. I check the oil every morning on the car to be sure it's still in the clear but, I do need to try and figure out this leak soon, I hate oil leaks.

I've heard that the oil cooler/filter housing is a rather common leak but, I'm not sure that's where the oil is from. Is it common for these motors to leak profusely from the front of the valve cover? Common for the M20 to leak from the front passenger corner of the head gasket? It seems like most of the oil is running down the front passenger corner of the block.

Any common starting places?

[dashboardmonkey]

cam seal

[jlevie]

Oil from that area suggests a leaking cam seal or a leak at the oil filter. The way to find the leak is to throughly clean the engine and watch for the first sign of oil.

[AutoXinE30]

I'll give it a good clean and see what happens from there.

[Gruelius]

if its ever a really odd leak 99% of the time its the Oil pressure switch. oil travels up the loom and pisses out at weird places!