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Thread: Is that oil on the floorboard ?!!

  1. #1
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    Is that oil on the floorboard ?!!

    I forgot to share with you about an experience I had last month.

    On the way back home to Georgia after meeting some friends in Florida, I was cruising North along Hwy 301 heading to I-10 when I saw it!

    "What the heck is that on the floor? Is that OIL??!!



    I checked my Oil Pressure gauge, and it showed that I still had pressure. Knowing that I had to be close to the interstate, I decided not to stop the car until I got to I-10 where I would find a truck stop. The next 5 minutes or so I was racking my brain trying to figure out where that much oil could have come from! What's going on under that Hood??!!
    Rear Seal? The entire seal would have had to come out. Not Likely.
    Dip Stick Tube? Did i lose the dip stick? That would be a source of a lot of oil.
    Valve Cover? Surely I would have smelled oil before seeing this on the floor.

    I was stumped, but I still had oil pressure so I pressed on.

    I pulled into the Pilot station up to a gas pump and slowly opened the hood. The engine bay looks clean, the dip stick is in its tube, and there isn't any oil on the underside of the hood.
    I get on my hands and knees to look under the car and see drips of oil the ENTIRE length on the DS of the 4" Tube.
    I try to trace the source back to towards the motor, and I find that the Oil Filter is the culprit! Is it loose?! Reaching down to the oil filter, I do my best to tighten it. Back in June, I removed the remote oil filter system and am now using the 90* filter adapter to mount my oil filter.



    I went inside to purchase 3 quarts of oil, and head back to the car. The dipstick is dry so I put a quart in the motor. It just barely shows on the dipstick, so I put in another.

    Again, I try to tighten the filter, But it's Tight! How am I losing oil, if the oil filter is tight? While reaching down to the filter and using my flashlight, I noticed that the oil filter was in contact with the motor mount! The oil filter has been rubbing against the motor mount, for who knows how long. The motor mount has scored a cut into the side of my oil filter, and I was losing a lot of it while driving.



    I found the nearest auto parts store (10 miles away), and drove over there to purchase another filter. When I arrived at the Advanced Auto, I pulled one side of my car up onto the top of the curb to act as my jack. Went inside and purchased shop towels, an oil catch container and an oil filter.



    Some how, over thousands of miles the 90* adapter had slowly rotated the oil filter into this troublesome position unless I installed it that way back in May. If it hadn't been for that oil on my floor, I would have never known. If I would have had carpet in the cabin, I wouldn't have known until too late. If I would have sealed up the cabin aluminum perfectly, I wouldn't have known until too late. I was VERY fortunate to have that symptom show up in plain view.

    I slid under the car and was able to remove the filter. I took my 3/4" wrench (glad I brought my tools) and loosened the 90* adapter so that I could rotate it away from the motor mount. BTW, the adapter was tight when trying to loosen the mounting bolt. I re-positioned the 90* adapter and re-tightened. Threaded on the new oil filter and she was back together. After adding new oil and disposing of the old oil in the catch can of the auto parts store, I was on the road.

    Crazy!! Those of you that have the 90* adapter, check to be sure that your oil filter isn't in contact with the motor mount. I now have a nice embedded oil mist on my back lid and rear of the car. Gives it that authentic look, right?

    Last edited by DadofThree; 11-15-2019 at 03:42 PM.
    Dave
    Mk 3.1 - #6882 - 5.0L 302 - FiTech EFI - 3-Link - 3.08 Ratio - 15" Wheels
    Greenhorn and doing the best I can
    My photos are at: My Flickr acct
    Videos are at: YouTube Videos

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  3. #2
    Senior Member Avalanche325's Avatar
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    OK Dave, I see that you didn't hang me out to dry on this one.

    Now for the rest of the story.............

    As part of the Deep South Cobra Club's Reptile Roundup, we had an optional track day which I did. I completely used up my front brake pads (which had more than 50% left) and like an idiot, didn't have a spare set with me. I had some overnighted from Summit. Dave, being a nice guy and much more prepared than I, had a low profile floor jack in his trunk which he kindly loaned me. The only issue was that he had to head home before my brake pads arrived. And GO FIGURE, he has an issue where he needed a jack on the way home.

    I changed my brake pads using his jack, while he had to use a curb. See what you get for being nice!

    Thanks again!

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  5. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Avalanche325 View Post
    OK Dave, I see that you didn't hang me out to dry on this one.

    Now for the rest of the story.............

    As part of the Deep South Cobra Club's Reptile Roundup, we had an optional track day which I did. I completely used up my front brake pads (which had more than 50% left) and like an idiot, didn't have a spare set with me. I had some overnighted from Summit. Dave, being a nice guy and much more prepared than I, had a low profile floor jack in his trunk which he kindly loaned me. The only issue was that he had to head home before my brake pads arrived. And GO FIGURE, he has an issue where he needed a jack on the way home.

    I changed my brake pads using his jack, while he had to use a curb. See what you get for being nice!

    Thanks again!
    LOL! Anytime Brother! Yes, I left that out.

    Next time leave the Top at home and bring a jack!
    Last edited by DadofThree; 11-15-2019 at 03:45 PM.
    Dave
    Mk 3.1 - #6882 - 5.0L 302 - FiTech EFI - 3-Link - 3.08 Ratio - 15" Wheels
    Greenhorn and doing the best I can
    My photos are at: My Flickr acct
    Videos are at: YouTube Videos

  6. #4
    Senior Member KDubU's Avatar
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    Yikes! You were lucky to catch it the way you did. Disaster was not that far away, glad you found it in time Dave.
    Kyle

    Complete Kit pickup 09/05/2015, 351w, QF680, 3.55, 3-Link, 15" Halibrands with MT's, Painted Viking blue with Wimbledon white stripes on 03/15/2017. Sold in 08/2018 and totally regret it.

  7. #5
    Senior Member rich grsc's Avatar
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    That right there is a quality 'Cobra" road trip story. Glad you caught it.

  8. #6

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    Great mystery story and roadside fix!
    www.breezeautomotive.com 2005 FFR Mk3 Roadster, 302/340hp, MassFlo EFI, Breeze Pulleys, T5, Aluminum Flywheel, 3-link rear with Torsen Diff and 3.27:1 gears, Power Steering, Breeze Front Sway Bar, SN-95 Spindles with outboard SAI Mod, Breeze Battery Mount, QA1 Externally Adjustable Shocks, Quick Release Steering Wheel, Vintage Race seats, GM Arctic White, Sky Blue Scoop, Hidden Hinges, Billet Aluminum Side-view Mirrors, 2,183lbs wet. 1967 Mustang Fastback, Dark Moss Green, black interior, '67 14" styled steel wheels, 2000 Explorer 302 w 5.0 Cam, Quickfuel 450 CFM, 289 Hi-Po Dual exhaust, C4, lowering springs w Shelby drop.

  9. #7
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    Time to buy some lottery tickets.
    Last edited by Bobby Doug; 11-16-2019 at 05:34 PM. Reason: Fix text
    Doug
    FFR 7995
    347 SBF Prestige Mototsports, Moser 8.8 (3.31) 3 Link, TKO 600, Nitto 555s, 17" Halibrands, PS, AC, Heat, Color Redfire Pearl, with Wimbledon White Stripes

  10. #8
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    Similar situation happened to me several years ago. My roadster was still breaking in with less than 1000 miles. I felt this warm liquid on my leg and realized there was oil coming from somewhere, dripping inside the cockpit. I was cruising at about 60mph. As I'm trying to think what could be leaking, BOOM the oil line running from the adaptor to my front mounted oil cooler burst, spewing 6 quartz of oil all over the car. Pulled to the side of the road and a guy pulled over, asked if I could use help and then drove me to and back form the local NAPA store to get parts and oil. What a mess! took weeks to clean up as much as I could and the rest provided rust prevention.

  11. #9
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    I know these things are far and few between, but my generator has an oil safety switch that kills the ignition of the oil pressure is low, any ideas for an automobile?
    Mk3.1 347 AFR 205cc Heads A9L EFI siemens deca 60lb injectors MSD 6AL ignition Vortech V-3 3 Link PS/PB

    -- If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem ! —

  12. #10
    Senior Member Avalanche325's Avatar
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    One thing that I did was to add an idiot light that is a combination oil pressue / temp. I autocross, and there is zero time to look at your gauges during a run, so I have a red light in with my turn signal and high bream indicators.

  13. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Avalanche325 View Post
    One thing that I did was to add an idiot light that is a combination oil pressue / temp. I autocross, and there is zero time to look at your gauges during a run, so I have a red light in with my turn signal and high bream indicators.
    That's a good idea to add a light. I'm going to look into doing that for my dash. I've had too many uncertainties with my oil. Odd, I know. From having an oil pump break into two pieces, to a oil gauge that went on the fritz, to an oil filter puncture. It's too important to be guessing.

    I'll look into getting something like this set up. I think I already have a red lamp to match my other two indicator lamps. Now all I need is the tee and the sensor.
    Last edited by DadofThree; 11-18-2019 at 01:30 PM.
    Dave
    Mk 3.1 - #6882 - 5.0L 302 - FiTech EFI - 3-Link - 3.08 Ratio - 15" Wheels
    Greenhorn and doing the best I can
    My photos are at: My Flickr acct
    Videos are at: YouTube Videos

  14. #12
    Senior Member Avalanche325's Avatar
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    I drilled and tapped my sensor extender (assuming you are using one) and put the additional sensor in. I'll get a pic loaded up. Of course a T would work also.

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