09 HHR 2.4L
So I was getting drops in the drive way from the passenger side. I jacked it up, cleaned all the oil off the timing chain cover, went to autozone to get a front main seal, all they had was the duralast brand. I knocked it in with a 2" pvc coupling and a rubber mallet. A week later and I think it is leaking worse. Now of course both times, oil is all over the timing chain cover so I am not 100% sure where this is coming from. I have it jacked up and am in the process of cleaning it off again. I also have a felpro seal this time. Any ideas on what specifically I need to look at, any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Clean/degrease it really good, then you can check it for where the fresh leak is.

 

Yes, that is exactly what I am doing now. Think I will run it in the garage for 15 minutes before I put the wheel back on. Could oil be getting around the bolt, does it need sealant on the threads or behind the washer or anything crazy like that?

 

Be very carful with the exhaust gas in the garage, vent with a good fan.

 

No sealant needed on the bolt, but it is TTY, so you need a new bolt every time. Make sure it's not the valve cover or the timing cover. Of course, make sure the garage is wide open if you're going to run the engine.

 

Ok, so here is the wrap up. Yes, garage wide open and a big fan blowing. After cleaning everything up I decided to just leave the duralast seal on and reinstall the pully and belt. At this point I want to find the root cause. Cranked it up and let it run for 20 minutes. Checked on it and not a single drop of oil anywhere. So I had the wife rev and maintain 2500 rpm. BooYaa!! a stream of oil started from the front main seal. Replaced the duralast with the felpro and tried the 2500 rpm thing again and no leaks. I'll try it again in the morning for kicks and giggles and then reinstall the plastic dust shield and the wheel. Thanks!