# Oil Leak (See pic of underbody)



## widthekid (Dec 11, 2018)




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## AutumnCruzeRS (Sep 10, 2012)

That would be the result of a sloppy oil filter change. Grab a can of brake clean and spray from top in front of oil filter housing on a cold engine and see if leak persist. welcome here btw


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## widthekid (Dec 11, 2018)

I thought that as well, however, it's been 6000 miles since last change. The leak is fairly new in my finding, so I assume it is not the oil filter leaking.

Took it into our trusted shop, they said oil cooler. $700-900 bucks? sound accurate for that work?


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

The leak shown in the picture appears to be on the drivers side of the engine, not the passenger side. Oil pan is on the passenger side.. This oil appears to be on the bottom side of the transmission. 

Oil cooler yes it could be, but it could also be the oil feed line to the turbo leaking down. 

Original poster.. You need to search for the thread on replacement of the turbo oil cooler line here on the forum, look at the photo's, clean are's with break clean, and go from there. 

Powertrain--> 1.4L --How To replace turbo oil cooler feed line. 

Turbo does have to come out inorder to replace the gaskets in the oil cooler assembly. There is no need to replace the entire unit. Search youtube by the term 'Cruze Oil Cooler gaskets" Channel is Ruva (or something like that..)

I would ask what is labor and how much is the cooler? Gaskets can be had for less than $50.00... How do they plan on doing this job? What needs to be removed? I'd ask them that.. And if they are removing the turbo, have they removed these turbo's before? Are they replacing the oil lines on the turbo which are known to be brittle, and I wouldn't trust them to survive turbo removal. 

How about the cooler lines to the turbo? Would these be new as well? 

They are sure it's not the oil pressure sensor screwed into the oil cooler housing? 

You need to watch the Ruva Video before paying someone to go this far for a repair. If the cooler is leaking fine, they might be close in labor. If it's really from something externally attached to the cooler, then they are high in my opinion..


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## misperros16 (May 21, 2018)

I been trying to find out if its the rear seal or oil pan since thats what they told me at the dealership.


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## lonewolf04 (May 6, 2016)

That oil residue is too high for just an oil pan leak. I had a dealer pull the same thing on me when I took mine in for a turbo line leak. They did the oil pan because it was a known defect for under-torque causing a leak. I would agree with others it is either the turbo line and/or the oil cooler gasket. My oil cooler gasket is currently leaking and getting nauseating when it drips on the exhaust and burns off while driving. Started happening once it go cold outside, teens in the morning.


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## misperros16 (May 21, 2018)

lonewolf04 said:


> That oil residue is too high for just an oil pan leak. I had a dealer pull the same thing on me when I took mine in for a turbo line leak. They did the oil pan because it was a known defect for under-torque causing a leak. I would agree with others it is either the turbo line and/or the oil cooler gasket. My oil cooler gasket is currently leaking and getting nauseating when it drips on the exhaust and burns off while driving. Started happening once it go cold outside, teens in the morning.


Yes i had that oil burning smell a couple of weeks ago when it was really cold and had the heater on.I tried a bottle of AT-205 and i think it has helped it but not enough.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

misperros16 said:


> I been trying to find out if its the rear seal or oil pan since thats what they told me at the dealership.


This is the passenger side of the engine, on the front side of the oil pan correct? There's no way this is a rear main seal? Come on, I'm not even a mechanic, but I doubt that the oil is litterally traveling from the drivers side of the engine to the passenger side. 

The oil cooler is on the drivers side, and is part of the oil filter assembly. I don't know where one of the pictures was taken, I can't tell without some descriptions. 

The oil cooler typically dribbles down on the exhaust, making a really bad smell. Drips on one of the heat sheilds. 

If it's where the absorbent pad is, I'd guess either an oil pan, as these are sealed with RTV there is no gasket.. Or the front crankshaft seal behind the harmonic balancer. That's my guesses, but you need to take some brake clean and clean up under there, so that you can track what stays dry, and what get's wet right away.. That's a mess right now..


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## misperros16 (May 21, 2018)

carbon02 said:


> misperros16 said:
> 
> 
> > I been trying to find out if its the rear seal or oil pan since thats what they told me at the dealership.
> ...


I went and got a degreaser and I noticed that when i sprayed by turbo oil return line some degreaser ended up between the transmission and engine.The second pic took it couple days ago and i think i see oil by the oil cooler screw dripping down to catalytic converter.


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## waynefoutz (May 23, 2018)

If it's on the passenger side, It's either the camshaft seals or the crankshaft seal, or the oil pan. 

Also, check your PCV system 

If it's not right, and if you have more than 50,000 miles on the car, it probably isn't, you're going to be constantly chasing oil leaks until that issue is addressed.


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## widthekid (Dec 11, 2018)

Thank you all for the great information, to this learning DIYer. I ended up taking in the car to my local mechanic. He charged me 744 to replace the oil cooler. Correction, to my original post, the part you see covered in oil is on the passenger side of the catalytic converter. He stated it was a leaking oil cooler. I fully trust him, honest man and charging my that for how much work he did I'll take my cars to him again.


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## widthekid (Dec 11, 2018)

@carbon02 It wasn't the turbo line feed. I actually replaced that thanks to this forum, mechanic confirmed that. Those are some great questions I would have not thought to ask. I'll go watch some of those videos now on ruva. The mechanic did mention there was multipole leaking gaskets and caps under there. I think from further reserarch and other on this thread its the PCV valve causing some issues as well. I'm at 107k miles and it's never been replaced so I think that will be my next undertaking.


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## widthekid (Dec 11, 2018)

waynefoutz said:


> If it's on the passenger side, It's either the camshaft seals or the crankshaft seal, or the oil pan.
> 
> Also, check your PCV system
> 
> If it's not right, and if you have more than 50,000 miles on the car, it probably isn't, you're going to be constantly chasing oil leaks until that issue is addressed.


my next question for the group on this, does the chilton book have a diagram in it showing what is what, because the thread on the forum is difficult to understand for a newby like myself to interpret on what to change out and where.

Ex: the PCV valve system, i buy the V2 one, I was lost just looking at taking the manifold off! 

Also, would replacing this PCV valve and putting in the repair suggested in the forum, you say that would solve my leaking caps and gaskets? I ask and am highly interested becauase the mechanic said i had all sorts of small leaks on there and if i can do the work myself and save 1000's i'm all about it!!

Thanks everyone!


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## TopazRS87 (Dec 29, 2013)

I would suspect the oil feed line from the oil cooler to the turbo. The factory one is not heat shielded and can burn through after awhile.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

Here's a link to what I believe are the best exploded diagrams for the Cruze. Your going to have to do some poking around to get the drawings of the area's of interest. 

I'm not sure that Haynes manuals would be that beneficial. I'd use Youtube and these parts blow out drawings. 

Alldata is great, but I'm not sure it's 100% required. 

Once the precat that's attached to the turbo is removed, and the turbo itself removed, you have access to the entire front side of the engine in terms of coolant and oil leaks.

https://www.wholesalegmpartsonline....398&ukey_driveLine=11475&ukey_trimLevel=25215


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## waynefoutz (May 23, 2018)

widthekid said:


> my next question for the group on this, does the chilton book have a diagram in it showing what is what, because the thread on the forum is difficult to understand for a newby like myself to interpret on what to change out and where.
> 
> Ex: the PCV valve system, i buy the V2 one, I was lost just looking at taking the manifold off!
> 
> ...


If the PCV system is bad, you'll have increased pressure inside the engine, which causes the leaks. You can spend hours and lots of money replacing seals, but if you don't address the root cause, you're going to be doing it repeatedly. I take it you read the forum on the PCV issue, because I've got the V2 kit installed on mine. It was well worth the money, as far as I'm concerned. I'm still in the process of repairing the leaks the faulty intake manifold caused. The kit is a permanent fix. The other option is to replace the intake manifold with a new one. But I think they only designed it to last 50,000 miles or so.


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## widthekid (Dec 11, 2018)

waynefoutz said:


> If the PCV system is bad, you'll have increased pressure inside the engine, which causes the leaks. You can spend hours and lots of money replacing seals, but if you don't address the root cause, you're going to be doing it repeatedly. I take it you read the forum on the PCV issue, because I've got the V2 kit installed on mine. It was well worth the money, as far as I'm concerned. I'm still in the process of repairing the leaks the faulty intake manifold caused. The kit is a permanent fix. The other option is to replace the intake manifold with a new one. But I think they only designed it to last 50,000 miles or so.


Yes this is exactly what I believe the issue is. is there a youtube video on how to do it? I saw the thread and picture version, but for a novice like myself finding the correct part to remove and switch out makes me a tad nervous


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

widthekid said:


> Yes this is exactly what I believe the issue is. is there a youtube video on how to do it? I saw the thread and picture version, but for a novice like myself finding the correct part to remove and switch out makes me a tad nervous


You just have to keep reading the how to thread on the intake manifold. Start with checking for the check valve nipple by removing the hose and visual inspection. If it's preset your all ok. If it's not keep reading on all the details to remove the intake. 

I agree it looks intimidating, and I maybe doing this come spring if I plan on keeping the car. To my knowledge there is not a video on intake manifold removal. 

Personally I'd disconnect the fuel rail, and pull the intake complete with the throttle body and fuel rail off the car. Still a lot to do but a bit different strategy than what the How To on this forum does. 

It's a long thread, and requires a lot of time to read, however, everything down to the last clip is indeed mentioned and covered.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

widthekid said:


> Yes this is exactly what I believe the issue is. is there a youtube video on how to do it? I saw the thread and picture version, but for a novice like myself finding the correct part to remove and switch out makes me a tad nervous


You just have to keep reading the how to thread on the intake manifold. Start with checking for the check valve nipple by removing the hose and visual inspection. If it's preset your all ok. If it's not keep reading on all the details to remove the intake. 

I agree it looks intimidating, and I maybe doing this come spring if I plan on keeping the car. To my knowledge there is not a video on intake manifold removal. 

Personally I'd disconnect the fuel rail, and pull the intake complete with the throttle body and fuel rail off the car. Still a lot to do but a bit different strategy than what the How To on this forum does. 

It's a long thread, and requires a lot of time to read, however, everything down to the last clip is indeed mentioned and covered.


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