Newbie with an oil leak. 1980 280ZX

[RogueKobold]

Hi y'all! I've just bought my first Datsun just two Saturdays ago, a very beat looking 1980 280ZX N/A, despite it's beat appearance it supposedly it has a refreshed motor, rebuilt trans, new sway bars front and rear, new gas adjust shocks, and much more. However, I've recently developed a leak of oil coming from seemingly just under the oil filter, or around it. I've heard it may be the pressure sender, however when I was under the car it was definitely coming from just "behind" and under the oil filter. I was thinking possibly it's worked it's way loose, or become damaged or something similar.

Edit: It pretty much only really leaks when the motor is running.

Now, I come from the Aircooled VW world. I'm not even really used to having water in my cars, so all of this is very, very new to me. At least I know how FI works since my '71 has EFI.

 

Anyways, any help or direction is very appreciated! Thank you!

Edited July 5, 2019 by RogueKobold

[Zed Head]

Have you tried tightening the filter a bit more?  You can do it by hand, just use two and give it an extra quarter turn.  Not uncommon, it's a large gasket.  I have to give mine an extra twist occasionally, on many of the cars I've owned.

[RogueKobold]

8 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

Have you tried tightening the filter a bit more?  You can do it by hand, just use two and give it an extra quarter turn.  Not uncommon, it's a large gasket.  I have to give mine an extra twist occasionally, on many of the cars I've owned.

I have but have not checked yet as the car is... a bit loud and it was almost 1AM ? But I will today. I'll turn it a bit extra and hope that it's the issue.

[Reptoid Overlords]

Is it the filter that came on it when you bought it? Or did you change the oil and filter when you bought it.

 

if you find that it is tight, maybe verify that it is the proper filter, or that it isn't double gasketed. I've heard of oil filter o rings sticking to the housing when removing the filter, although I've never seen it.

 

 

 

 

 

[RogueKobold]

Just now, Reptoid Overlords said:

Is it the filter that came on it when you bought it? Or did you change the oil and filter when you bought it.

Maybe verify that it is the proper filter, or that it isn't double gasketed. I've heard of oil filter o rings sticking to the housing when removing the filter, although I've never seen it.

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It is the one that came on it, I'm yet to do a change as I'm also getting a new pan seal soon as there's a slight crack in it on one side (opposite the oil leak, no oil on the crack but I'd like to be safe.)

I could tighten it a bit, I need the motor to dry off so I can see if she still leaks but I think it may have fixed it. I was very worried because it had just started happening quite a bit, and was worried there was some issue he had hidden from me!
 

 

[RogueKobold]

Thanks y'all - this seems hopefully fixed. I'm not really used to having an oil filter, either! Haha. I've tightened it and ran it and it doesn't *seem* to leak anymore, however if it starts again I will let y'all know. Thanks again!

[Reptoid Overlords]

It's better you get acquainted with liquid cooled engines in these cars rather than the Wasserboxers.

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