Hey, everyone. New guy here, just came across your site looking for info and I like what I see; seems to be an informative forum. But I couldn't find exactly what I needed, so I'll ask now.

I have a 2nd gen and have been trying to locate a leak that has been becoming progressively worse. It turns out that the oil leak was near the front but has been displaced due to its proximity to the fan and has thus been thrown around everywhere requiring a thorough cleaning. What I ended up finding after about 15 minutes on the ground is that the leak is located directly below the crank pulley and above the front groove of the oil pan. I can see what appears to be large amounts of weathered gasket protruding around the front oil pan, that is where the leak appears to be dripping from onto the ground. but it weeps so fast that I can't pinpoint exactly.

So, my question is if the leak is continuous only when the engine is on (pressurized crank case) is that likely a crank leak or can it still be indicative of an oil pan leak?

If its an oil pan leak, is it possible to just drop the passanger side output shaft (on a 4x4) of the diff rather than the whole diff to get to the pan?

I have the FSM but does anyone have a write up I may have missed on a front crank seal on a 4x4 6G72?

I typically work on cars myself, and I have extensive knowledge on RWD Nissans, but this is my first and only DSM. Other than that I've only had a Mercedes (over priced and poorly engineered junk!) and a Lexus in the past so I'm somewhat out of my depth on my first 4x4.

I'll see if I can upload some footage if I get the chance.


Thanks!

PS: Just to confirm, all 6G72 3.0 V6 Monteros in the US up until 1994 were 12 valve, right?

Welcome to the "WIRE" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
A little more info needed on your rig...
What year?
Which engine? 3.5 DOHC? 3.0 24 valve? 3.0 12 valve?
Oil pans arn't the common culprit. Usually cam seals with air curents making source location difficult.
A lot of info on here on such things as the Harmonic Balancer wrench ( homemade) needed to change seals and T belts, etc.
Enjoy...

EZ, KD.

Right, sorry about that:

1993 Montero 4x4
3.0 V6 Auto

I don't think its the common rear cam seal issue, they do leak a bit, but what does drip gets burned off on the heat shield of the manifold causing a bit of smoke from time to time. I can literally see the drop(s) emerging from the area I described earlier. I'll try my best to get someone to lend me a camera to get the footage of it before and at start up to see whats what.

I'm pretty sure I read or heard in passing that all pre 94 v6 were 12 valve, that is why I asked to confirm.

I'll search for that diy harmonic wrench, lets just hope I won't need it anytime soon, thanks.

mainseal/t belt job is not too bad with a little wrenching experience.
Get the New revised crank bolt,,,,
use the revised torq on that bolt.
I use black paper clip thingys to hold the t belt on the cam gears and shove a slice of cardboard between the pan and belt to hold the belt on the crank/tbelt gear to keep everthing in place so nothing jumps a tooth. Can do it all with my eyes closed after I figure that little trick out.

Thanks for the info, KD, though I can confirm the crank seal is solid. Its the oil pan like I initially suspected, I made a channel where I thought the oil pan was leaking out of RTV and can now literately see it bleeding as soon as the engine is on. Its losing quite a lot of oil now so my hand is forced to have to do it.

The only thing is I don't have access to a shop/lift any more; I called around and no one wants to rent me one at night or on a weekend if its slow. Anyone in So. Cal with a lead on a shop that will rent there lifts? Or a groupbuy/tech day or something?

Worst case scenario and I have destroy my body even further and try to do it on the ground, can I get away taking out just the passenger side front output shaft to drop and replace the pan? It looks snug but from some rough eyeball measurements it looks possible. Anyone have previous experience feel free to chime in.

Upon further inspection it looks like it may have been done quite recently, as the RTV excessively runs throughout the pan. I just hope its a broken seal that didn't sit right and not a minute imperfection of the pan itself when removed.

Welcome to the wire! I'm sure others can / will chime in as well on how to best remove the oil pan so you can replace the gasket. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Thanks.

Update: Removing just the passenger side output shaft isn't possible to get get to or drop the pan, the dimensions are just about right but you'd have to at best drop everything from the hub to the differential to even get enough space--and a pair elf hands would help.

I tried removing the inner portion (its 2 piece) of the output shaft connected to the diff and coupled to the outer portion (that connecters to the hub) but the bolts are blocked into place due to the coupler, I thought I'd be able to drop it and slide it out from the diff side, but wasn't able to even get a mm of 'wiggle' room.

So the leak persists and I remember why I can't really work on cars on the ground anymore, its sad... I'm still in my mid/early 20's.

Still not getting any positive news on renting a lift, I'm afraid.

We dropped wwff's pan by taking two bolts off the front diff and letting the whole thing pivot down, iirc. He may chime in, and his memory is better than mine. It's a little tight getting at the rear bolts, and a couple of the fronts, and they are tiny little buggers that will break on you in an heartbeat, too, just ask WWFF. I provided the arm force, he supplied the weak bolt...

When you have the bugger off, make sure you whang the area around the bolt holes flat, or a little crowned away from gasket surface of the pan. THe bolts pull it the other way, and if you don't counter whang 'em, they can cause a leak, especially without a real gasket. BTW, I think there's a felpro real gasket that fits, too.