Any guesses where the oil leak is coming from?
 

So, the 1864 I just got finished buttoning up has apparently developed an oil leak :angry: After I got done mowing a couple nights ago, I parked it in the garage. I checked the oil the next morning and noticed I had lost a bit. I started looking around and found some fresh oil since the motor has been dropped in. The only problem is, I can't figure out where it's coming from. Starting at the PTO side of the engine, you can see what looks like some fresh oil grabbing onto the grass clippings. If you look at the side, I circled where there was fresh oil before I wiped it up. You can also see in the 2nd pic where it dropped down onto the deck sub frame and then onto the deck. Then you can see by the flywheel where it is. Needless to say, I'm frustrated! Before I swapped the engine, I don't recall it leaking (the 2 times I mowed with it). I would like to think it's the PTO seal as that can be gotten to with the engine still in the machine, but could it be the flywheel side seal? I guess I'm looking for opinions and suggestions on how to trace it down. Thanks guys :beerchug:

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The leak on the PTO end looks like A crankshaft seal. The driveshaft end looks like you may have slung a little grease out of the CV joint.

I agree about the PTO end, just wanted some more opinions. The thing is, it doesn't drop a single drop on the floor from the front. The only place it drips (and I've never caught it doing it) is at the rear of the engine onto the deck sub-frame and deck. Is it possible the leak up front is such a slow, steady leak that it's able to run to the rear of the engine and drip from there? I find it hard to believe that both seals are bad on an engine with 47x hours that didn't )(noticeably*) leak before :bigthink:

*I say noticeably because when I'd mow with it in the past, the oil level would not drop and I wouldn't see any oil on the deck like I am now. Then again, it could be getting worse :bigthink:

About the only possible place at the front of the engine that oil can leak from is the oil seal behind the pto. When my command engine leaked there I had oil run back the mounting plate. I also over greased the cv joint and had grease slung all over the place at the rear of the engine.

Ok, that's kinda what I was hoping to hear (that it's possible, at least). I have one Command on the bench right now that has a leak in the PTO end crank seal that I'm replacing but it leaked so much that it'd drip right onto the floor in a small puddle when you turn it off. The one in the pics above doesn't seem to leak when off, and only lost maybe 2-3 ounces over 2 1/2 hours of mowing so it's not a horrible leak. But the weird thing is, it only ran down that one side of the engine plate (the side pictured and circled). Just called my dealer, they have 2 seals in so after work tonight, I'll pick them up. I hope this clears it up, I'd hate to have to pull the engine to replace the seal behind the crank.

I've replaced the seals in two Commands that leaked oil on that plate and ran to the back. I'm working on my third one now.

The front of plate is tilted upwards so the oil runs to the back, ask me how I know.