bad oil leak 2 Qts a week

[jglutz]

The belts will sling oil all over, so where its coming from doesn't mean that's where its leaking from. Pull the timing belt cover off clean off the oil and run it for awhile and keep a close eye it on it. Then replace all seals and gaskets.

This is what I would do.....a quick accurate repair includes defining/locating the problem.

[crash618]

No oil is coming from behind the timing cover at all. It's coming from the head gasket or behind the water pump were they meet the block. I was hoping someone else would have had this problem. I'm a mechanic for the USPS for a living. I'm just hoping not to tear unnecessary stuff apart as i've never worked on this car before which all these festiva's were inherited form my dad which he cherished the festiva's that is why we have 7 of them an the one i'm driving was his an i would like to get it in the best running order.

[jglutz]

If it's contained to the front of the engine, behind the timing cove, and not the valve cover gasket or front camshaft seal....it's the head gasket or oil pump. Best would still be to clean it and put it back together and look for the first signs of the leak.

When looking at the oil pump, in the upper left hand corner, about the 7 to 8 o'clock position of the water pump pulley, is where the high pressure oil from the pump exitis the casting to the oil filter. If you were to put yor hand on the block and drag it horizontally from the center of the oil filter toward the pump, you will feel the bulge in the block that is the oil passage from the pump to the filer. I would suspect, where this passage and oil pump mate together could be a point of failure.

Changing the oil pump gasket, block in, can be done, a real knuckle buster. Would take me at least 3-4 hours. The head gasket would take me about 2 hours. Both of these times are flying without problems...In either case...this is why I think it's best to clean it and look for the source.

An old trick I have used to locate leaks...spray the area clean...brakleen or equal. Speary the suspected area with some belt dressing or a very light goat of WD-40...then cover the area with talc or baby powder. The powder will show the leak pattern in no time.

[scitzz]

An old trick I have used to locate leaks...spray the area clean...brakleen or equal. Speary the suspected area with some belt dressing or a very light goat of WD-40...then cover the area with talc or baby powder. The powder will show the leak pattern in no time.

speary? goat?
LMAO you are as bad as me with a few drinks

Actually, a very kewl idea, I am gonna have to try it!

[Glease]

I don't see any reason to fix it, new oil in the top, old oil out the bottom, you engine has never been happier! Think of the money your saving on oil changes!

haha jokes. Could always throw some automotive oil dye in it, but you'll need the special light to trace the dye with.

But, jglutz also has a good method of finding the gremlin of an oil leak.

Gook luck!