I think the flywheel is so close to the rear of the block, you won't be able to see much..worth a try.
there are dye kits that are available...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgsqmMjC5So

OK, so my valve cover is definitely no longer leaking. But, I'm seeing oil on the block below the head on the rear corner and on the fuel pump up front. I see dark oily residue between the head and the block up on the front side of the engine. There's also oil drops down on the cover plate of the tranny and back on the tranny pan (not tranny fluid, definitely oil). I think it's running down there from the top half, but I did see oil on the inside perimeter of the cover plate when I pulled it last time (when the valve cover was leaking, not sure if that's there now, bu the main seal area appeared dry even then).

I checked around the plug tubes, it seems dry. Could the head gasket be leaking? I checked the head bolts when I had the valve cover off, they are torqued properly. Could the plug tubes be leaking under high stress and then the block be relatively dry since it's a hot engine there isn't much oil residue left behind? I started it up, runs great, don't see any oil leaks at idle, but I run her at 70-75 mph on the highway coming home from work for 50-60 miles. Seems like the tubes must be leaking, but I can't find any oil around the tube seal area and the plug boots/tube covers are relatively dry, but there is oil on the rear corner of the block, just below the head, and the fuel pump and lower front has oil on it. There appears to be an oil trail down to the fuel pump from one of the tubes, second from front, but when I wipe below the tube with a dry paper towel, it appears to be an older trail, no oil on the paper towel.

Any thoughts?

Thanks all,

Brian

BTW, I did notice the compression rings were on the spark plugs, I took those off and the slant does seem to run better due to better positioning of the plugs - no difference in the oil leak issue, but the inside of the tubes were dry anyway, so it wasn't coming from the spark plug to tube seal portion.

Oh, also, the leak is substantial. This is a newly rebuilt engine, I only have about 3000 miles on it. I drive about 250-300 miles per week. I'm losing on the order of a quart of oil every couple weeks....where the heck is it coming from?

One of the bolts that hold the alternater bracket goes into the push rod area and will leak oil. Pull the bolt and put some sort of high temp sealer on the threads and replace bolt.

Richard

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Thanks Richard, I'll look there. Which bolt, the one near the thermostat housing? There is oil on the front end of the head and down on the fuel pump area, perhaps we're getting somewhere...

It's the front bolt.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Thanks, I definitely see oil around the alternator bracket and bolts this may be a suspect, thanks so much. I'll let you know what I find. Can't do it until the weekend, but looking forward to it. I won't assume this is the only culprit, but it'll be nice to seal off one more source of oil (already did the valve pan).

Yes, it turns out both bolts on the lower part of the alternator bracket were leaking oil from the oil galley. Took it all apart, cleaned the threads real good and reinstalled with some high temp thread seal from permatex (the white stuff). Crawled under, cleaned off the engine. Will check after driving awhile. Thanks so much guys.

'67 Dart 270