Well I made it to 81k miles til my first oil leak. It's small (1 or 2 drops). The leak or should I say drop are coming off the crossmember right infront of the oil filter. Any ideas where the leak may be coming from and ballpark cost to fix?

I need to replace the a/c compressor so I'd like to fix the leak while it's torn apart for the compressor.

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

Do you have an extended warranty?

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Nope. No warranty.

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

Prepare to be bent over...

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Luckily my mechanic is next door to my shop and he is about half what a dealer wants most of the time. I never go to a dealer for anything.

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

I'm guessing it's still going to be $1800, minimum, for the A/C and fixing the oil leak.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Any guess on where the leak is coming from? If its the valve covers does it make sense to try to re torque them done and see if that does it or just go ahead and do a gasket job?

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

Mine had oil leaks from oil pan, valve covers, lower crankcase seal,
rear main seal, front cover and crank seal, oil pressure and level switches.
(according to my many repair invoice descriptions from the dealer)

Big money if no warranty. Big, big, money

_________________
Black 95 SSEi (original owner) 238K miles
Black 05 GXP (some idiot put the first 12K on it)186K miles
Black 04 Tahoe (original owner)310K miles
Black 16 Traverse (original owner)90K miles
Black 15 Lacrosse (some nice lady put first 15K on it)43K miles


"You can have one in any color as long as it's black" - H. Ford

I don't or at least hope I don't have that much trouble. I just had the car up on a lift a month ago and nothing no leaks and dry everywhere. The leak just started wherever its coming from. It is really small. Like I said 1 or 2 drops, but the crossmember is catching it so it may be more.

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

N*'s sole mission in life is to leak oil from the "cam" covers, more notably, the valve covers. Their torque spec is like 7lb/ft of torque. All it takes is one heat cycling to loosen them. Locktite and 10lb/ft helped mine.

Otherwise, if you're noting it down on the crossmember by oil filter, it's the standard, GM cooler line fitting. There is nothing you can do. Getting them fixed with GM replacement parts and they'll just leak again. It's part of the quick-disconnect design. Personally, it's an 80k car, your two options are getting some permanent fittings from Summit and making your own connectors (could get costly), or do what I do. JB Weld the sh*t out of that joint. JB Weld solves all the worlds problems.

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Thanks for the help. The dilemma is I'm anal about cars and this thing is like new inside and out. I'll probably just put new lines on it. It's a weekend cruiser so not like a ton of miles will be put on it.

Is it worth it to torque down the cam covers while the ac is being done or just do the lines and leave well enough alone?

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

Mine stopped seeping once I loctited them and went the extra few ft/lb.

My point with replacing them though is that you're not fixing the problem. The new ones will probably start leaking by the time you get home and you'll be right back at square one. So why bother spending the money to replace them. It's the design of the coupler on the easy-disconnect.

That was why I said with 80k on it, no one is concerned about the beauty of some lower mounted oil cooler lines. Only you will know. Just JB Weld the sh*t out of them and live comepletely leak free... at least from that joint anyway...

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Wait... So why do Northstars exist again?

_________________
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles

Carl, why does a 1950's farm tractor engine sit in your sub-frame?

Befor the flames come a flyin... I be a duckin'...

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Touche!

But my tractor motor seems to be a little better thought out in its leak free, not burning oil, only breaking a mount once.. ness... Hahaha

_________________
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles

A lot of people like to crap on the Northstar and GXP. Very few have actually driven one...

They do have their common issues when it comes to leaks or mounts, but don't tell me the 3800 is immune. Coolant elbows, LIM/UIM issues, valve cover gaskets, sensor issues, and so on... You will also continue to break mounts if it wasn't for ingenuity with hockey pucks (news flash: fixes exist for the Northstar too). The only difference here is the ease of the some fixes due to the size of the powertrain (not particularly relevant for valve cover or oil line issues). And then you have people like Ed above, who automatically assume the worst when the repair in this case could be as simple as some JB weld or torquing down your valve covers a little extra. These are almost FREE. $1800? Come on. We're here on this club to help diagnose problems, not to tell people to bend over.

Back on topic... as Lane is saying, torque and loctite those valve covers at 10lb-ft, and if your oil lines are the ones causing the leak, JB weld the connectors.

_________________

Jerry /// Past: 95 SSEi (June 2010 COTM) -- 04 GXP (July 2011 COTM)
91 Honda Civic Wagon DX 2WD (fuelly) -- 208,000km -- 92hp -- Autocross Warrior
09 Lexus LS460 AWD -- 94,000km -- Daily Driver
09 White Hot G8 GT -- 155,000km (fuelly) -- LS3 Cam -- GM LS3 CNC Ported Heads -- Kooks 1 3/4" Long Tube Headers -- Solo Catback Midsection -- Hooker Maxflow Mufflers -- Pat G Tune -- Rotofab Intake -- Tein S-Tech Springs -- GXP FE3 Dampers -- BMR Subframe Cradle Inserts -- BMR Subframe Connectors -- Forgestar F14 Gold 18x9 +40 -- Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/45/18 -- Maverick Man Carbon Fiber Spoiler

LOL Carl... The 3800 has it's own basket case of issues. Nothing major mind you, but it is not perfect. LIM anyone?

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

I'm not disagreeing with anything you say about Northstars. I knew the issues going in and still bought the car. For me it wasn't going to be a daily driver. I like how it looks and the fact that it is so rare. I live in the Tampa area and take a lot of road trips. Since move back to Florida I have not seen another GXP anywhere. I take this thing to at least one car show or cruise in a week. Have not seen another, but get tons of compliments. Some people have never seen one.

So in short. 1800 bucks or free. To me it's worth fixing to me at any price.

We'll know the damage in a few weeks when it goes in for upgraded brakes and ac fix

_________________
2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

I can't speak to the A/C issue, but I can tell you, I can save you $1,790, by just buying some JB Weld.

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

I don't have much against the Northstars, it just seems that the problems are worse when they happen and they happen all at once.

_________________
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles