Oil pump gaskets

Any Type IV folks have a problem with the gaskets on their oil pumps?
I think I've gotten to the bottom of another mystery, but I'm not entirely sure.
There's an outlet going to the Bus oil cooler in my fan shroud that's bolted to the rear side of my case. From it, weeping out the bottom, is a very thin film of oil with a non-specific origin.
There's a sandwich plate with two more lines coming out right above my spin-on filter -- no weeping oil there.
I taped off the sandwich plate and around the filter to test my theory, and then wiped everything clean for my test.
I ran the engine at 3K rpm for five minutes, and my little weeping oil signs were back.
I'm going to replace the gaskets anyway, but I'm wondering how quickly those guys ought to go bad. I did run the engine for a few thousand miles at 210-240 degrees' oil temperature this spring, but it hasn't been anywhere near that hot since. Y'all think I might have burned the gaskets up at that time, and maybe it's just been slowly forcing it way out since?
I thought my dipstick was to blame at first, pushing out there at higher rpms (and I know there's some going that route), but this is specific to one location, and I think my test probably bears that out.
Thoughts?

Cory,

I have a number of the AN-10 oil fittings also and at least one of them "weeped". However, in order to better figure out which one and where, I cleaned off the area very well firstly with Gunk and water, then with carb cleaner, then coated the area with talcum powder. Then, running the engine showed where the leak was in the talcum powder very clearly. In my case it was leaking around the threads of the screw in fitting, as well as the gasket on the adapter (which is different on your engine as I have a type 1). After I pinpointed the leaks I used "Gasgacinch" gasket sealer on both sides of the gasket. Keep in mind you do not want much of this stuff on the pump front cover, just enough to gove the gasket a complete seal, not enough that it runs into the pump in any way shape or form. I would apply it on both sides, tighten down the front cover for a couple of hours, remove it one more time to make certain you have not overdone it..... That left the threads on the fitting.... some people recommend teflon tape, others say never use it, other people say use the liquid pipe sealer, others say never use it..... I ended up using teflon tape on the fitting, and I used "more" rather than "less".....and it has held for several thousand miles.

As to your having "cooked" the gaskets at 220 or 240 degrees....I would think not.... I think that for road purposes 230 would be the high end of oil temps. However, my wife has a Vette with a digital oil temp guage. It consistantly runs 230+ degrees with a water temp of 210 +/- and according to other Vette owners that is entirely normal and as GM designed it.... I understand a Vette is not an aircooled VW but it seems as though modern oils are resistant to failing at higher temps.....

My engine runs oil temps of 200-210 or so in 100 degree ambient, unless I run it really hard for long periods of time. It will then go higher, suggesting I may need more than a 96 pass cooler, or better air flow to the cooler if I want to run at the 24 hours of Lemans (insert bad joke here)

"then coated the area with talcum powder."

MAN ! ! ! That's got to be the best idea for leaks that I've ever heard!

Thanks Jim. VERY MUCH ! !

Great info, Jim! I'll check and try. Thanks!

TC, look up dye inspection. This is the best way to find leaks and even cracks. I started a new thread because I didn't want to wander from Cory's issue. Check it out under "Engine" forum.

I heard that's how you're supposed top make love to a fat woman - dust her a$$ with talcum powder and aim for the wet spot!

"The wet spot" Priceless!---Jack