Uv Dye save a lot work

[KE4AVB]

I quickly becoming a big fan of the use of UV dye for finding oil leaks. My PU have been leaking oil and it was steady getting worst. It looked like either the oil pan gasket or rear main seal problem. I about to pull the engine when I did decided to run an UV oil test. Cleaned the engine and under carriage. Started the engine after pouring in he UV dye and look for the leaks which I found within minutes.

In my 50 yrs of servicing automobiles I have never seen an oil filter casing to leak but the Purolator One filter was indeed leaking near the area that the removal would fit. After removal I scraped off the paint in the two indicated leaks to find it cracked in both places. THe only thing keep it from leaking at first was the heavy paint job on the filter.

But at this me a day or two of labor pulling the engine.

[bgsengine]

Yep saves a LOT of time especially on those where you might sorta think it was a crank seal on a horizontal shaft engine where it'd take an hour's work just to pull the engine, only to discover clean block under the flywheel and oil leak was coming from a corner of valve cover hidden by shrouding... just for one example..

[KE4AVB]

Or when is the oil fill cap seal as was the case with a GX390 last year and a week later the pressure pump last an oil seal which looks like the other crank seal failed but with the UV dye left in the new oil it showed it wasn't the engine.

[Arkie]

I've been using UV dye in Auto AC systems with good results, but if it dries on metal surfaces at the slow leak the dye remover does not clean off the old dye. (sometimes have to wait for approx. 24 hours or longer to find a slow dye leak indicator and by that time the dye has dried to the surface. In addition to dye remover I've tried acetone, lacq thinner, etc.

Only way I can tell if I have stopped the AC leak after using the dye is to clean the surface and use a fast dry hi-heat paint and spray over the old dried dye and re-test.

Never tried any dye in engine oil yet, but have such for my old 4x4 that has several small engine leaks. Wondering if it will glow from the front bumper to the rear bumper!!!!!!!!!!

[KE4AVB]

It might attract a lot of moths.

As for me I was leaking 1-1/2 qts per 50-60 miles of driving so the whole undercarriage is pretty oil covered from the front cross member to the rear bumper. so it was exactly a oil seepage problem more small oil stream. Took the truck out on the 60 miles trip this morning and there is no new oil drops in my driveway. Now I just to replace my garage door torsion spring this weekend (broke Saturday night some time before dawn) I hope it get here by then as I can't get any of the heavy tools out of the shop.

[38racing]

The Ontario government has added oil leaks as a failure for a vehicle safety inspection. UV dye sales should be increasing here.

[KE4AVB]

Hopefully they won't get as strict as the Japanese are (zero oil leaks) were it takes up to two years to get your auto repaired, approved, and back in operation.

[fergy28]

Heard about UV Dye before and surprised to hear how effective it is. Gonna give it a try as well.

[KE4AVB]

Just remember the UV dye requires a matching UV light source that is strong enough to under daylight conditions. During of the particular dye I use the UV light were very poor under daylight conditions. My current UV light source that matches the 365 nm dye I used is fairly strong especially when used with the 3.7V booster battery.

It is very important to have the correct wavelength light source so do your research on the particular dye you chose as to its optimum wavelength before buying the light source. The UV pen light they sold in the kit with UV glasses was useless to me as I still had to have the items being tested either in a dark garage or covered by dark tarp. Neither of which is effective when you work outdoors as I do.

[fergy28]

Just remember the UV dye requires a matching UV light source that is strong enough to under daylight conditions. During of the particular dye I use the UV light were very poor under daylight conditions. My current UV light source that matches the 365 nm dye I used is fairly strong especially when used with the 3.7V booster battery.

It is very important to have the correct wavelength light source so do your research on the particular dye you chose as to its optimum wavelength before buying the light source. The UV pen light they sold in the kit with UV glasses was useless to me as I still had to have the items being tested either in a dark garage or covered by dark tarp. Neither of which is effective when you work outdoors as I do.

Thank you for the tips. I can close the door at the garage to make it darker but I will get a better UV light and dye. What particular brand you recommend? We just need to finish installing first the new brake kit and dually mud flaps on the current truck project before I can look at the dye stuff.

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