Slow but steady oil leak

[325e '87]

My car leaves a drop of oil on the floor every time I drive it, seems to happen after a drive as things cool down. The oil drips from the bottom of the a/c compressor and appears to weep down the front of the block at the corner seam where the head gasket goes.

Is it possible to weep oil from this front corner of the head?
Is it possible to weep oil but not have any cross contamination between coolant and oil? No milky oil and clean coolant.
Is it more indicative of cam seals or valve seals?

If I need to replace the head gasket doesn’t that mean I need to have the head checked and machined?

[jeffnhiscars]

My car leaves a drop of oil on the floor every time I drive it, seems to happen after a drive as things cool down. The oil drips from the bottom of the a/c compressor and appears to weep down the front of the block at the corner seam where the head gasket goes.

Is it possible to weep oil from this front corner of the head?
Is it possible to weep oil but not have any cross contamination between coolant and oil? No milky oil and clean coolant.
Is it more indicative of cam seals or valve seals?

If I need to replace the head gasket doesn’t that mean I need to have the head checked and machined?

Yes - head gaskets can leak from anywhere..as can valve cover gaskets and rubber plugs so check those closely
Yes
Valve seals will leak internally and typically lead to smoke...cam seal is a possibility
Whenever the head comes off it should be pressure tested and will almost certainly need skimming. WYAIT recondition as necessary.

[jdt10768]

just for fun, give this a try:

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2020-Motor-Saver/product-reviews/B00CPL8WY8

[325e '87]

Thanks for the input gents.

The thought of not being able to drive my car for a week is really problematic so I think I will nurse it along until December.

Jeff, based on your comments I’m pretty certain it’s just the head gasket. I don’t have any smoke and it’s pretty obvious that the weep is right at the front corner of the block.

My big quandary now is, I live in a smallish town (Greenwood) and there is likely one person around here, at most, that has a nice machine shop. I have no idea who though so I’ve got some work ahead of me to find out who the “guy” is around here. Chatting up folks at Hardee’s and the gun store is in my future, lol.

Maybe I will carve out time to go see forced firebird. I’m sure he’s too busy to mess with a stock m20 but who knows, I’d love to meet him and have him nurse my baby.

But thanks, appreciate the input.

[jeffnhiscars]

Not sure where in SC you are but I believe it Mullis Machine and its within half hour or so from Charlotte.

Dan from Touring Cars recommended him so Im sure hes good

[325e '87]

Little update,

I drove the car up on ramps and with the engine at operating temperature I crawled around underneath while the engine was idling. I have ordered new o rings for the oil filter/cooler manifold. Oil is seeping from the head gasket but it really looked like oil was really leaking from the area that the filter housing is bolted to the side of the block.

Is this common? I think the oil pressure from a running engine is making it leak mostly while driving, with the engine off it’s harder to trace the leaks because they pretty much stop.

[lcoleman]

It's pretty common and pretty easy to replace. Consider it can also be the cam seal or rocker shaft plug.

[ForcedFirebird]

Very common to leak between the head and block. Cheap head gaskets do it. Elring and Victor Reinz have both done it to me even with fresh decking on block/head. more than likely, you can pull the head, put a quality gasket on without machining it and it will be fine. Most locals here just tend to leave it and deal with the annoying drip rather than spend the time/$$ on such a small/slow leak.