I just got this car kinda sight unseen. Got it home it was super low on oil and where they parked it it had a huge puddle of oil underneath. I put it on stands and degreased everything and then filled it up and turned it on. It's leaking oil from it seems above the point of the oil pan in front of where the oil filter is.
So basically the front passenger corner of oil pan but above it.

Could you guys please help me figure out what it is? I can't get a good look because of intake manifold and radiator in the way. I tried to take some pictures. Also leaking from the back part of the oil pan as well. Blowing out a ton of smoke out the exhaust, I believe it's burning oil.

 

Sounds like you bought a basket case.

If I were you,

#1 test compression to determine of the engine is worth saving
#2 take the intake hose off and check for turbo play to see if the turbo is any good
#3 take radiator fan out and clean off the area and see where the leak is
#4 fix/replace/repair what's broken.

Above those that oil leak is the two oil cooler hoses and the bottom of the PCV port. Leaking that much oil, my money would be on the oil cooler hoses.

 

I can definitely see it being pushed out through the oil pan gasket. Gonna torque down all the bolts and see if it makes a diff.

 

oil cooler lines have a habit of puking - I would look at these guys carefully

 

There is no pan gasket. The two halves are mate together with anaerobic sealant. I've never seen a oil pan leak on a white block.

 

Yep its def not leaking from the oil cooler. I'll check compression tomorrow. I took the fan off and in the process took off some sort of intake hose to the turbo I think? I went to go start it up without putting that hose back on and the car started but died shortly. I put the hose back on but now it won't even start.

If I can get it started ill record the oil and where it's leaking from. I'll check compression too tomorrow. This is getting to be a real headache for a 650 dollar car lol.

 

There is about 10 feet of plumbing between the MAF and the throttle. You need that, and in fact you can't stand any leaks in it. If it leaks the MAF will be wrong. The amount of fuel that gets squirted in there is based on the MAF. So it's important it be correct.

 

My mistake it was a hose going to the inlet manifold, I'm pointing it out in the picture. It's hooked up now. Also the vacuum line connecting to the thing on the fan shroud had come out.

After the car died I hooked both the vacuum line and the hose up but the car won't start. There is fuel pressure at the fuel rail, but I haven't checked for spark yet. It's just so weird, it sputtered and died and now wont start. Everything is hooked up, nothing is unhooked.

 

I just checked and no spark at the boot to the plug. Hooked it up to a spare spark plug and put it next to the block to see if any sparks.

 

I am going to throw a bone here, and if I'm wrong, nothing lost. When you pulled the fan out I think you caused the main fuel injection relay to drop out. The problem with this relay is mostly the plug, they get unplugged easily, the plug rots, and they are mounted on top of the radiator. I seem to remember this got relocated on the 97 turbos but I can't remember.


It looks like this, but normally (most 850s) would be hidden in that row of relays on top of the radiator.

 

No! dont do this. You will break the seal and then you are toast and will have to pull the pan. Look at the oil cooler lines, they are prone to leaking or the dip stick seal or the PCV. All those handle oil in that area. If you pulled the intake manifold you could find this problem easily.