Good news and very bad news...

[Safety Guy]

Took Aqua on the road today to get her exhaust put on. Magnaflow cat, Thrush glasspack midpipe resonator and Thrush turbo muffler with all 2" piping throughout.



I'll have to redo the front struts. They're just way too high. I think I'll throw some Festiva springs on my new Festiva struts on put those on until spring, when I can sort out my Rio strut/Aspire cut spring situation. That's not the bad news. It's just more work, which I guess I'll do.



After getting my car out of the Mad Hatter bay with her new system, I checked the oil. Just being careful, I guess. I had seen a leak earlier and thought it was coolant, so I tightened the water pump outlet bolts and that seemed to slow it down. Ha ha.

Well, my dipstick was dry. DRY. Okay, some oil from the tube was on it, but I could tell it was not "dipping" in any oil. How could this be? I had left home with almost topped up oil. Within a quarter quart, anyway.

Put in the rest of the quart I had on me and stopped at Autozone on the way home. Talked to some folks there and bought some more oil. Consensus was that one of my front seals was leaking--maybe both. It must come out strong while I'm driving, because when stopped it doesn't seem that bad.

I bought a big jug of oil, poured most of it into my engine and went home. No alignment for me today!

I'm thinking I'll see what Grismers wants to replace one or both front seals and be done with it when I take her in for her alignment. It'll have to be after our big snow.

Crap. I did Lux's front seals right. How did I go wrong on Aqua?



Switched needed stuff to Lux for work. At least Lux has the nice Nokians for the snow.



Karl

[ericsmith32]

Festiva's are picky little buggers sometimes! I feel your pain those seals are a pain to mess with. I might have to put them in the Aspire. Trying doing with PS and AC in the way not going to be fun.

[batstiva]

Crap!!!!! Did you check your coolant and make sure it's not an HG issue? Hope not. As for a little leakage at the W/P, didn't you just install that one? Pretty sure a little leakage at first is normal. At least it was on my Dak when I had to replace its water pump. Only lasted for, I want to say, not even a minute, but it was disturbing to watch.

P.S. I wish the underside of my engines looked that clean. One day.....

[Safety Guy]

I think I did have some WP outlet leakage at first, which is why I was worried about leaks. I tightened those two bolts and the one WP main bolt I can see, which seemed to help. I swear it was greenish and looked like antifreeze.

However, my coolant level is fine and I'm getting good heat. I have no temp needle movement at all, however. Could be the sensor is bad?

Oil is spraying out when I drive. Onto two of my plastic shields. I think the coolant is okay, but it must be one or both of the front seals. I hope it's also not the rear seal, which I would have guessed I messed up (first time on that one).

I don't see any oil in my coolant.

New HG, new WP, all new seals.

I'm guessing they'll charge at least $200 to do the two front seals. Unless spring gets here real soon, I won't feel like it!

Karl

[ericsmith32]

I had to tightened a water pump once. It did stop leaking. I believe that was on the 88. I'm guessing you put the right seal in? I might need a sleeve put on it.

[Safety Guy]

As far as I know they were the right seals. Guess I'll find out when I (or a shop) dig back into them to see.

Ice storms ahead! Lux has the tires for it at least!

Karl

[SuperDaveGulvak]

Sorry to hear about that Karl But that is a mighty fine looking exhaust system on a positive note

[TominMO]

Glad you caught the oil leak before anything bad happened.

[Safety Guy]

Tom said:

"Glad you caught the oil leak before anything bad happened."

I guess that's another good part. I don't think the engine was damaged. No bad noises were heard.

Karl

[FestYboy]

Karl, did you use the same seal for the cam and crank? there shouldn't be a differance in part #. also when you installed them, did you lube the seals before them going on the unit being sealed?

[Safety Guy]

Arty, I can't remember for sure. I know the shop manuals say to do that. I know I had problems installing the crank seal. At first it did not go in far enough, then I think a day or so later I managed to tap it in a bit further. My theory right now is that the crank seal failed, possibly by blowing out (loosening, anyway) when I began driving Aqua around. During the half-hour or so total time I had her idling at rest, I figure the seal was holding.

Of course it could have been something else.

I just hope it isn't also the rear main seal leaking. What a pain that would be.

My plan now is to use my new Monroe Sensa Trac Festiva struts I was saving for Lux's rebuild with some new Festiva strut mounts. I'll order two front stock Festiva springs from FMS to put on them and swap 'em in. Won't be too hard.

I think I'll also attempt to take a look at the leak and if it's just the seal, try again. If I don't succeed, then I'll get it done at the shop when I take her in for the alignment.

She should be on the road in another two weeks or less, depending on weather conditions. (Crossing fingers.)

Karl