The reason I am asking is because I am having trouble getting straight answers from some of the Mitsubishi service outlets with regards to the origin of my engine's oil leak, I have a workshop manual on Disk in PDF format but it is very brief and does not show the engine in an "exploded" pulled apart diagram.
One MMA workshop wanted to systematically replace the Cam seals, crankshaft seal, rocker cover gaskets and of course the oil filter and oil pressure switch and then see if we have got rid of the oil leak.

A rival MMA workshop (they are usually rival franchises) said what a load of rubbish and took off the engine side cover and showed me that the rocker cover, cam and crank shaft seals are all dry with no evidence of a oil leak and that the problem is behind the oil filter housing where there is a gasket and I think and "O" ring. But then there was disagreement within the workshop as to whether these is a gasket and 'O' ring there at all, and the diagram graphic on their spare parts screen was not clear enough to display it, well they couldn't find it as a spare part anyway.

But the damn oil leak continues and it's time to get it fixed, does anyone have an accurate and clear diagram of the 6G74 3.5 engine from a workshop manual?

I think it's time I purchased a good workshop manual since I generally prefer to carry out my own work on my vehicles whenever I can. But I've worked mainly on V6 Commodore engines and am not yet familiar with the great 6G74 magna engine.

I phoned another MMA outlet but nobody knew anything about an O ring or gasket behind the oil filter housing, then someone said there might be one, I think I'll have to pull it apart myself to find out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I've done a search and found lots on oil leaks but not of this nature.

what do you mean by oil filter housing?? You mean the oil filter canister itself??

As far as I can picture in my head - the oil filter is attached straight to the block - there is nothing connected to the oil filter that can be described as a "housing".

If it's the oil filter canister you mean - then yes there is a gasket, which is usually part of the filter itself (not a separate part). If it's leaking from there - then either the filter isn't done up tight enough (although it should only be done up tight by hand), it has been forced onto the oil return shaft improperly and has "crossed" the thread, or it is a dodgy filter with no, or an ill fitting gasket.

Yeah, I know what you mean, but it is above the oil filter behind a pulley, I've replaced the oil filter and oil pressure switch, but yeah I agree "oil filter housing" does sound strange to me to, but that's what one of the people said at a Mitsi workshop, I think he meant behind the lower timing belt cover..."housing".

I think it may be coming from behind a pulley, it's our only car and I cannot keep it off the road long enough to find out, my wife does not drive so we only have the one car.

It is a nuisance oil leak rather than a major one, there is never low oil readings on the dip stick, but I'm tired of having to use an oil drip tray and more importantly oil leaks must be fixed because of the damage oil can cause to rubber components like CV joints etc.

Oil pump maybe? also could be the crackshaft seal, as it is close to the oil filter assembly.

The oil filter screws on to a small alloy bracket which then bolts on to the oil pump case which is the main alloy part behind the harmonic balancer.

The small bracket that the oil filter screws to has a normal gasket between it and the oil pump case. If only i was near my place i could take a picture of the housing and gasket for you but unfortunately my car and workshed are 70kms from where i now live.

If you look on the MMAL workshop CD PDF under the section 11B (engine overhaul) and then go to the oil pan and oil pump section. On the explode parts picture (page 41 of 63), the oil filter bracket gasket is the part numbered "4" and the oil filter bracket is numbered "3", this part is held to the oil pump case (which is numbered "18" in the drawing) by 3 bolts..

Hope that made sense to you :)

You're a champion Jason, why couldn't MMA have told me this? So I'll need to remove the serpentine belt and harmonic balancer and replace the gasket between the alloy oil filter bracket housing and oil pump case and hopefully my car will no longer leak oil.

I've found section 11B on my PDF workshop manual, it's not as brief as I thought, I just didn't look properly. I can't see anything else in that area other than the gasket causing the oil leak, I don't see an "O" ring. Can I still drive my car with the timing belt covers removed?
Thanks heaps Jason :)

P.S Nice VRX and your in S.A. like me

You're a champion Jason, why couldn't MMA have told me this? So I'll need to remove the serpentine belt and harmonic balancer and replace the gasket between the alloy oil filter bracket housing and oil pump case and hopefully my car will no longer leak oil.

I've found section 11B on my PDF workshop manual, it's not as brief as I thought, I just didn't look properly. I can't see anything else in that area other than the gasket causing the oil leak, I don't see an "O" ring. Can I still drive my car with the timing belt covers removed?
Thanks heaps Jason :)

P.S Nice VRX and your in S.A. like me

Its unusual for oil filter bracket gasket to cause a leakage issue, all the late model magnas ive worked on its normally the front or rear main seals and or the cam seals that cause oil leaks.

I think I'd better take off the timing cover and have a good look to establish where it is coming from, I would also think that a leak from a oil bracket gasket would be unusual, it probably is a main seal or something like that, cam seals are dry, and it leaks down onto oil filter so I don't think it's the rear main seal...hopefully, and the crankshaft front seal appears to be dry as well, the oil does seem to come from above the oil filter.

When you say main seal you mean crankshaft seal?

Can I drive the car without the timing cover on it? Or should I put the cover back on B4 driving it? It would be easier to leave it off until I have established what's causing the leak.

I think I'd better take off the timing cover and have a good look to establish where it is coming from, I would also think that a leak from a oil bracket gasket would be unusual, it probably is a main seal or something like that, cam seals are dry, and it leaks down onto oil filter so I don't think it's the rear main seal...hopefully, and the crankshaft front seal appears to be dry as well, the oil does seem to come from above the oil filter.

When you say main seal you mean crankshaft seal?

Can I drive the car without the timing cover on it? Or should I put the cover back on B4 driving it? It would be easier to leave it off until I have established what's causing the leak.

yeah main seal means crankshaft seal.

It should be ok to drive with the cam covers off, i did for a few weeks when i was setting up my old engine.

Just one thing to also check is to see if its leaking from the relief plunger plug (part number 14 on the oil pan oil pump diagram) which is on the main oil pump case just behind where the oil filter bracket bolts up.

Thanks Jason, you have been a great deal of help, thanks also to others who posted offering advice. Happy safe motoring to all :) of you, Cheers ilike3.5

OK I thought I'd put this here and it may be a very dumb question (but hey we're friends) does anyone know which way the Harmonic Ballancer Bolt is threaded, is it a left or right hand thread?:nuts: We are trying to do a timeing belt and can't undo it:confused:

Right hand thread (clockwise to tighten). Best way to get it off is put spanner (ring spanner works well) on it, tight up against something secure in the engine bay in the correct direction (that is tight when spanner has been turned clockwise). for extra safety I ties the spanner with rope to something. Now spin engine. Don't start it, just flick of the key. Hey presto bolt is loose. Done this many times......starter motor does the job every time. The other way is to jam
screwdriver in flywheel to stop engine from turning.

Brilliant idea and so simple:bowrofl:

Right hand thread (clockwise to tighten). Best way to get it off is put spanner (ring spanner works well) on it, tight up against something secure in the engine bay in the correct direction (that is tight when spanner has been turned clockwise). for extra safety I ties the spanner with rope to something. Now spin engine. Don't start it, just flick of the key. Hey presto bolt is loose. Done this many times......starter motor does the job every time. The other way is to jam
screwdriver in flywheel to stop engine from turning.

im glad you know what you are doing because that sure sounds painful.

if you cant get it of properly i usually get someone to help me, either to hold it so i can give it a few hits, this usually works, if not then i usually give up and get the dynamite or you could try the above techniques.

straight from the mitsu workshop manual mate. enjoy.