Extremely COLD weather = oil leak?

98 svt

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This morning it is -6* outside. I went to take the trash out and noticed a small trail of fluid coming from under the car. Upon inspection, it's oil.
My car doesn't leak oil, hell it's got less than 2000 miles on the build. Last year I changed the oil with 5w20 oil (buildr recommended). I'm wondering if it's too thin?

Is it SO cold that the gaskets shrink enough to cause an oil leak?
I've always stored all my cars outside for winter (under a carport and car cover), and I've NEVER seen such a thing.
Anyone else ever see this before?
 

98 svt

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It can happen. I'd find the source and make sure it's not just a loose fitting.

I plan on it, when the temp gets above freezing. For now, I threw a metal pan under the car to catch the drip.

Never in my life have I seen this.

Would I be safe going to 5w30? It's a 4V with a 67mm Precision turbo.
 

Lambeau

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Bet you'll find the source pretty easily.

Doesn't sound like a viscosity change would correct it.

Different materials doing what they do in temperature extremes. Expanding and contracting at their own individual rates. Degradation of materials also plays a part.

I see seeping from seals, gaskets, etc., on my vehicles all the time in the winter. They "usually" seem to stay at a seepage stage. As the weather warms, they tend to dry up.

When they progress to a drip, that's when I have them fixed.
I cannot stand oil, or any type of fluid, on the garage floor.
 

SID297

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I plan on it, when the temp gets above freezing. For now, I threw a metal pan under the car to catch the drip.

Never in my life have I seen this.

Would I be safe going to 5w30? It's a 4V with a 67mm Precision turbo.

Not that it'll make any difference to you, but I prefer to run 15w40 in most of my stuff. I'm a caveman like that.
 

apex svt

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My F250 does this on the coolant side the double O-Ring push lock fitting will leak ever so slightly over the winter. Come summer time, not a drop.

I’m sure your situation is similar.
 

olympic

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Is this car still being driven or is it stored for the winter? If it hasn't been driven and suddenly sprung a leak, about the only spot it could leak is the oil drain plug since all the oil is sitting in the pan. Another possibility is the power steering reservoir or hoses (unless you're running a different color fluid in there).

5w20 is too thin for a forced induction motor IMO. I've been running 5w30 for years and will be switching to a 40 weight this year. No real reason, just want to se if it will improve hot idle oil pressure.
 

98 svt

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Is this car still being driven or is it stored for the winter? If it hasn't been driven and suddenly sprung a leak, about the only spot it could leak is the oil drain plug since all the oil is sitting in the pan. Another possibility is the power steering reservoir or hoses (unless you're running a different color fluid in there).

5w20 is too thin for a forced induction motor IMO. I've been running 5w30 for years and will be switching to a 40 weight this year. No real reason, just want to se if it will improve hot idle oil pressure.

Yeah it's been sitting all winter.
I run a custom low mount turbo set up, so there is definitely more than one spot to check.
 

DSG2003Mach1

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My F250 does this on the coolant side the double O-Ring push lock fitting will leak ever so slightly over the winter. Come summer time, not a drop.

I’m sure your situation is similar.
That thing is such a POS, put the new design piece on when the turbo was out and bitch lost like 2 gallons over a week when it was single digits. I knew I should just clamped some normal hose on there

Really threw us for the loop first time it did it - was cold enough overnight to leak then warmed up and went away.
 

ShelbyGT5HUN

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My old man said, "It's not a leak unless it hits the floor!" Weeping and seeping aren't "leaks" in my book either.
Bet you'll find the source pretty easily.

Doesn't sound like a viscosity change would correct it.

Different materials doing what they do in temperature extremes. Expanding and contracting at their own individual rates. Degradation of materials also plays a part.

I see seeping from seals, gaskets, etc., on my vehicles all the time in the winter. They "usually" seem to stay at a seepage stage. As the weather warms, they tend to dry up.

When they progress to a drip, that's when I have them fixed.
I cannot stand oil, or any type of fluid, on the garage floor.
 

Bdubbs

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Cold weather does some weird stuff to automobiles. My cobra never really leaked sitting in cold weather though.

That reminds me, I should eventually pull the C4 out of the 67, because it leaks like crazy....



Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk
 

Tezz500

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5w20 is too thin for a forced induction motor IMO. I've been running 5w30 for years and will be switching to a 40 weight this year. No real reason, just want to se if it will improve hot idle oil pressure.
I would 10000% listen to random internet posts than my engine builder's advice.

Sarcasm aside, I dont think youll have an issue with going from 20w to 30w oil.
 

CobraBob

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This morning it is -6* outside. I went to take the trash out and noticed a small trail of fluid coming from under the car. Upon inspection, it's oil.
My car doesn't leak oil, hell it's got less than 2000 miles on the build. Last year I changed the oil with 5w20 oil (buildr recommended). I'm wondering if it's too thin?

Is it SO cold that the gaskets shrink enough to cause an oil leak?
I've always stored all my cars outside for winter (under a carport and car cover), and I've NEVER seen such a thing.
Anyone else ever see this before?
Paul, I don't know if you had the same winds we got down here in CT, but with the wind chill it was -25 degrees. That's darned cold. I'm betting you're going to find out that the cold was the factor with the gasket or a fitting contracting.
 

98 svt

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Paul, I don't know if you had the same winds we got down here in CT, but with the wind chill it was -25 degrees. That's darned cold. I'm betting you're going to find out that the cold was the factor with the gasket or a fitting contracting.

Oh, I had no doubt it was the cold causing it. I've just never experienced it before I guess.
The drip went away as soon as it warmed up a few degrees.
We definitely had the high winds etc. Gotta love New England...
-6* on one day, 47* on the following day
 

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