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Front Cover / T/C Cover To Oil Pan Leak On 2019 Traverse LT @ 39.5k Miles

530 Views 13 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  g8a550, 
Jack07231
4
Last week I backed my Traverse out of the garage to do some work on my lawn tractor and noticed a small oil stain on the floor, under the right side of the vehicle. I looked under the Traverse and saw a spread of oil on the bottom of the oil pan, and oil dripped onto the right side of the engine cradle. I cleaned the bottom of the oil pan and the cradle and added UV dye to the oil, then started the engine and let it idle until it "timed out" and shut itself off. The pan and the cradle did not have any dye oil on them, but I noticed dye on one of the Front Cover / Timing Chain Cover bolts that attaches to the oil pan. I researched in this forum and it seems this is and has been a fairly common problem with the 3.6 litre engine. There are no gaskets I could find that will replace the RTV they used at the factory, and the fact that I am just going to RTV the same part that is leaking due to the factory installed RTV failing, isn't worth the time or effort. I would rather live with a leak and keep tabs on the oil level (which was not down any appreciable amount). I then remembered a can of Permatex Spray Sealant Leak Repair I used on my Tahoe about 8 years ago, and to my surprise I had an unused can. Saturday I removed the front wheel and the plastic access panel and used Brake Clean (as directed) to completely clean the area of the leak. I followed the directions to the letter and ended up spraying 5 coats of this leak sealant to the area of the leak. I've run the Traverse since Saturday, after I sealed the leak and when I checked it today there are no leaks, nor any signs of dye. I'm not sure how long this will last, but will keep an eye on it. I do not consider this a permanent fix, but rather a band-aid, but I hope it lasts. If not, as long as it's a slow leak, I can put up with it. I've attached Before and After pics below. NOTE: The light part of the "After" pic is not dye.

Does anyone know if there are actual oil pan gaskets available for this engine, as opposed to using RTV? In the pics you can see the RTV that squeezed out during assembly. It looks like I need a gasket that runs between the front cover and the oil pan or a complete oil pan gasket that runs the perimeter of the oil pan. I can only find RTV as the listed oil pan gasket.

I miss the old Chevy engines. They are much easier to work on and gaskets are available for everything.

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R
Good course of action
Had a friend with a 1st gen acadia.
Perfect operation. Till he got a little leak on timing chain cover.
He took it in to dealer.
They dropped engine to fix.
After the repair the vehicle had many electrical issues. Like braking on its own among other issues.
Several attempts to correct.
He got lawyer involved and GM bought the vehicle back.
In the end he said, he could have lived with the leak.
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Jack07231
rbarrios said:
Good course of action
Had a friend with a 1st gen acadia.
Perfect operation. Till he got a little leak on timing chain cover.
He took it in to dealer.
They dropped engine to fix.
After the repair the vehicle had many electrical issues. Like braking on its own among other issues.
Several attempts to correct.
He got lawyer involved and GM bought the vehicle back.
In the end he said, he could have lived with the leak.
Click to expand...
I will put up with a leak before I even consider letting them drop the engine. I have a car washing sponge zip-tied to the guard under the oil pan on my Tahoe, as the rear main seal started leaking at around 150k miles. Now part of my oil change regimen is to change sponges. It works! It actually catches a lot of the oil. I will do the same to the Traverse if needed, but no way will I have the engine pulled. I sure as he!! don't want to end up with the problems your friend did..
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RandyMan
Jack,

Thanks for this post, and a possible non-invasive solution. I need to take a look at mine. I noticed my oil pan has a slight sheen on it and could not find the leaky area. No drips or drops on the floor. I even placed some paper down on the floor overnight to see if anything dripped. Nothing. Maybe, just maybe, I'll buy some UV dye and give it a try. I now have ~59K miles on my 2019. I'm definitely not losing any measurable amount oil. If this would fix it then I'll be golden. Like I said, nothing worrisome, but I do like to keep it clean and tidy.

My 1997 VW Passat VR6 leaked like crazy. ATF, Oil, coolant. Anytime I worked on her I would be an oily mess. I chased after those leaks so long that I actually gave up. I would just keep fluid bottles in my trunk and fill them back up as needed. But I digress.

Thanks again,
RandyMan
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Jack07231
RandyMan said:
Jack,

Thanks for this post, and a possible non-invasive solution. I need to take a look at mine. I noticed my oil pan has a slight sheen on it and could not find the leaky area. No drips or drops on the floor. I even placed some paper down on the floor overnight to see if anything dripped. Nothing. Maybe, just maybe, I'll buy some UV dye and give it a try. I now have ~59K miles on my 2019. I'm definitely not losing any measurable amount oil. If this would fix it then I'll be golden. Like I said, nothing worrisome, but I do like to keep it clean and tidy.

My 1997 VW Passat VR6 leaked like crazy. ATF, Oil, coolant. Anytime I worked on her I would be an oily mess. I chased after those leaks so long that I actually gave up. I would just keep fluid bottles in my trunk and fill them back up as needed. But I digress.

Thanks again,
RandyMan
Click to expand...
Randy, I am glad I could help you! I would definitely put some UV dye in and check it out. I guarantee you will pinpoint the leak. I use UV dye in AC systems and cooling systems and It hasn't failed me yet. I haven't been under my Traverse since my post on this, and am coming due for an oil change soon, but no more drips on the garage floor. If I get a chance tomorrow, I will put it up on the ramps and check it again. My guess is that it's still holding. Please let me know how you make out...

Jack
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repairman54
2x the UV dye will show you leaks where you didn't even think you had a leak.
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Jack07231
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RandyMan said:
Jack,

Thanks for this post, and a possible non-invasive solution. I need to take a look at mine. I noticed my oil pan has a slight sheen on it and could not find the leaky area. No drips or drops on the floor. I even placed some paper down on the floor overnight to see if anything dripped. Nothing. Maybe, just maybe, I'll buy some UV dye and give it a try. I now have ~59K miles on my 2019. I'm definitely not losing any measurable amount oil. If this would fix it then I'll be golden. Like I said, nothing worrisome, but I do like to keep it clean and tidy.

My 1997 VW Passat VR6 leaked like crazy. ATF, Oil, coolant. Anytime I worked on her I would be an oily mess. I chased after those leaks so long that I actually gave up. I would just keep fluid bottles in my trunk and fill them back up as needed. But I digress.

Thanks again,
RandyMan
Click to expand...
I checked my engine today and am attaching more pics. I looks like the Permatex is doing its job. There is no oil on the pan or in the area where I had the leak, but Repairman it right when he said it will show you leaks where you didn't even think you had a leak. I THINK it may be seeping higher up from the original area I sprayed the Permatex sealer. It's hard to tell so I thoroughly cleaned the area above (can't see it in these pics) and will check it again when I change the oil. The oil pan is dry and there are no drips from anywhere, so time will tell if I do have another seepage, but the original leak is sealed and holding. Right now I am just shy of 40k miles. We use the Traverse primarily for trips, so that is why the mileage isn't too much higher than when I first posted about a leak. I am satisfied the leak I showed earlier is fixed. See pics from today, below,

Jack

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FallenOfficer
Jack07231 said:
Last week I backed my Traverse out of the garage to do some work on my lawn tractor and noticed a small oil stain on the floor, under the right side of the vehicle. I looked under the Traverse and saw a spread of oil on the bottom of the oil pan, and oil dripped onto the right side of the engine cradle. I cleaned the bottom of the oil pan and the cradle and added UV dye to the oil, then started the engine and let it idle until it "timed out" and shut itself off. The pan and the cradle did not have any dye oil on them, but I noticed dye on one of the Front Cover / Timing Chain Cover bolts that attaches to the oil pan. I researched in this forum and it seems this is and has been a fairly common problem with the 3.6 litre engine. There are no gaskets I could find that will replace the RTV they used at the factory, and the fact that I am just going to RTV the same part that is leaking due to the factory installed RTV failing, isn't worth the time or effort. I would rather live with a leak and keep tabs on the oil level (which was not down any appreciable amount). I then remembered a can of Permatex Spray Sealant Leak Repair I used on my Tahoe about 8 years ago, and to my surprise I had an unused can. Saturday I removed the front wheel and the plastic access panel and used Brake Clean (as directed) to completely clean the area of the leak. I followed the directions to the letter and ended up spraying 5 coats of this leak sealant to the area of the leak. I've run the Traverse since Saturday, after I sealed the leak and when I checked it today there are no leaks, nor any signs of dye. I'm not sure how long this will last, but will keep an eye on it. I do not consider this a permanent fix, but rather a band-aid, but I hope it lasts. If not, as long as it's a slow leak, I can put up with it. I've attached Before and After pics below. NOTE: The light part of the "After" pic is not dye.

Does anyone know if there are actual oil pan gaskets available for this engine, as opposed to using RTV? In the pics you can see the RTV that squeezed out during assembly. It looks like I need a gasket that runs between the front cover and the oil pan or a complete oil pan gasket that runs the perimeter of the oil pan. I can only find RTV as the listed oil pan gasket.

I miss the old Chevy engines. They are much easier to work on and gaskets are available for everything.
Click to expand...
Could've been worse like my 2013. Still don't know where its coming from haha.

I swear these things are prone to oil leaks.
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AlisoBob
If it's leaking out from under the bolt head, this will stop it.

01528930 - $1.93 - 10mm sealing washer with rubber ring 1999 onward GU01528930 [01528930] : MG Cycle, Moto Guzzi Parts and Accessories available online at MGCycle.com

MG Cycle 01528930 - $1.93 - 10mm sealing washer with rubber ring 1999 onward GU01528930 [01528930] - 10mm ID sealing washer with rubber seal, original on many models since 1999. Engine oil drain plug crush washer on Breva 750, Nevada Classic 750IE, Breva 1100, Breva 1200, Sport 1200, 1200...
www.mgcycle.com www.mgcycle.com

This works too.....
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G
And here I thought Flex Seal was only good for installing screen doors in the bottom of your boat!! 😁
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AlisoBob
greentraverse said:
And here I thought Flex Seal was only good for installing screen doors in the bottom of your boat!! 😁
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I guarantee that when the Flex Seal goes in, that leak will stop!! ( Along with the rest of the engine)
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Jack07231
AlisoBob said:
If it's leaking out from under the bolt head, this will stop it.

01528930 - $1.93 - 10mm sealing washer with rubber ring 1999 onward GU01528930 [01528930] : MG Cycle, Moto Guzzi Parts and Accessories available online at MGCycle.com

MG Cycle 01528930 - $1.93 - 10mm sealing washer with rubber ring 1999 onward GU01528930 [01528930] - 10mm ID sealing washer with rubber seal, original on many models since 1999. Engine oil drain plug crush washer on Breva 750, Nevada Classic 750IE, Breva 1100, Breva 1200, Sport 1200, 1200...
www.mgcycle.com www.mgcycle.com

This works too.....
View attachment 12134
Click to expand...
Excellent idea!! Let me know how it works out for you.....

Good one!!!😄
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FallenOfficer
AlisoBob said:
If it's leaking out from under the bolt head, this will stop it.

01528930 - $1.93 - 10mm sealing washer with rubber ring 1999 onward GU01528930 [01528930] : MG Cycle, Moto Guzzi Parts and Accessories available online at MGCycle.com

MG Cycle 01528930 - $1.93 - 10mm sealing washer with rubber ring 1999 onward GU01528930 [01528930] - 10mm ID sealing washer with rubber seal, original on many models since 1999. Engine oil drain plug crush washer on Breva 750, Nevada Classic 750IE, Breva 1100, Breva 1200, Sport 1200, 1200...
www.mgcycle.com www.mgcycle.com

This works too.....
View attachment 12134
Click to expand...
As tempting as that is, I refrain to do so haha.
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g8a550
RandyMan said:
Jack,

Thanks for this post, and a possible non-invasive solution. I need to take a look at mine. I noticed my oil pan has a slight sheen on it and could not find the leaky area. No drips or drops on the floor. I even placed some paper down on the floor overnight to see if anything dripped. Nothing. Maybe, just maybe, I'll buy some UV dye and give it a try. I now have ~59K miles on my 2019. I'm definitely not losing any measurable amount oil. If this would fix it then I'll be golden. Like I said, nothing worrisome, but I do like to keep it clean and tidy.

My 1997 VW Passat VR6 leaked like crazy. ATF, Oil, coolant. Anytime I worked on her I would be an oily mess. I chased after those leaks so long that I actually gave up. I would just keep fluid bottles in my trunk and fill them back up as needed. But I digress.

Thanks again,
RandyMan
Click to expand...
That's why Germans don't make computers, they haven't figured out how to make them leak oil yet.
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