I had noticed that "oil smell" the last couple days while driving my '99 Durango. I got looking around today and found oil splattered inside the passenger wheel well under the motor and cross bar on that side as well as behind the passenger side head light. The serpentine belt and pulleys are clean and dry and the oil filter was tight. I was down about a 1 1/2 qrt's of oil since last time I checked it 1100 miles ago. Any suggestions on things to check?

Thanks
Tim

 

Value cover gaskets.

Excellent avatar BTW!

 

if its slung around inside the engine compartment, i'd look at the front crankshaft seal at the timing cover. behind the harmonic balancer.

 

torque check on your valve covers.. seen it on two 5.2s already that the valve covers like to wobble loose.

 

I'll check the valve cover today but didnt notice them loose yesterday but wasnt really checking either. It's not all over the place which is why I mention the belt and pulleys being dry. I'm still puzzled how it could end up behind the head light though...???

Thanks
Tim

 

Cover doesn't need to move to leak around the gasket. That is why I said VC gasket. I would be shocked to find zero historical leaks there all the way around both of them.

IndyD

 

Thanks for the replies guys. The more I look at it the more I'm thinking its a leak in a line going to the cooling rad up front. There appears to be no oil anywhere on the engine its self really just on those lines and be hind the head light.

Tim

 

Could be a trany line.