Topic: v6 oil leak (Read 3589 times)

dellboy · « **on:** 30 August 2006, 12:02:27 »

please help i have bad oil leak, oil seems to run down front of engine left hand side of crank shaft pully i dont have oil in sparkplug holes. i have taken plenum off to try to look down front of engine but cannot see because of timming belt cover, would there be any advantage taking off front timming cover to see, there does seem to be oil on top where i think oil cooler is but this leak has been there for about year and may be sprayed about by wind i have no water in oil or vice versa
thanks in advance.

Timbuk · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 August 2006, 12:36:15 »

The more you take off the more you will see !! As for oil cooler, if that was knackered you would be getting oil in your water system as you said, if the oil cooler plate was leaking you would be losing water not oil, unless one of the banjo bolts is leaking where they bolt onto the oil cooler itself, unlikely i thinks??

Markjay · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 August 2006, 13:51:54 »

How far up the front of the engine does the leak go? One possible culprit is the Oil Pressure Switch, which is located at the bottom of the front just to the left of the crank pulley.

Oil leaking from the washer will be splashed up by the wind when driving, but no more than a couple of inches above the Oil Pressure Switch itself. If this is the case, the fix is easy - if you have the old type swutch, renew the copper washer and torque-tighten to 55NM (using 24mm deep socket - i.e. spark plug type socket). If you have the new type then the washer will be integral and made of alloy so the whole unit will need replacing - but the good news is that a new switch costs under a fiver from Vx.

dellboy · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 August 2006, 14:05:27 »

ive just been looking there is a lot of oil under the inlet manifold i was just going to try to take it off to check connection to oil cooler

Markjay · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 August 2006, 14:07:14 »

Yep - oil under the manifold is very likely to be oil cooler....

TheBoy · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 August 2006, 15:19:48 »

The banjo bolts on oil cooler may be leaking a little

- if you undo them, you must replace washers and the bolts...

dellboy · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 August 2006, 15:45:30 »

thanks for that there is a large pool of oil in the casting around the cooler also round the front banjo bolt so its off to vauxhall to get new bolts and gaskets

Markjay · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 August 2006, 17:38:06 »

Quote

thanks for that there is a large pool of oil in the casting around the cooler also round the front banjo bolt so its off to vauxhall to get new bolts and gaskets

You seem to be sure that the leak is from the pipe/joint - but it is often the oil cooler itself that leaks due to corrosion, in which case it will need replacing as well....

(Copyright notice: pictures taken from JSeaman)

RonaldMcBurger · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 August 2006, 18:46:56 »

I must agree that oil cooler does sound potentially leaking. For what it costs and the fact that these DO pack up, it would be worth replacing it now at the same time as you are doing most of the work already.

Second guess is rocker gasket. If it is leaking on the outer edge nearest the inlet manifold, you won't necessarily get any oil in the plug wells. When were the breathers last checked?

TheBoy · « **Reply #9 on:** 31 August 2006, 09:26:54 »

If you change the oil cooler, do not bend the oil pipes to move. Instead undo them from near the oil filter. Tunnie will agree with me here, putting back on bent oil cooler pipes is stressful, and leads to tools getting broken, and glass flying everywhere

v6man54deg Geffd · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 August 2006, 15:39:07 »

Quite common for the bolts to back off with time - done a few on vectra's recently - replace the 4 washers - you also need to replace the dowty washers on the water bridge - as this needs to be removed to get to the rear banjo bolt.
You can replace the washers without lossening the pipes from the block but the rear one can be difficult - best to undo the pipes from the block - do not use a open ended spanner on the pipe unions as they will go out of shape - use a special socket with a split in it or a crow foot spanner.
theres a pic of this socket on jseamans thread on the other forum - theres also a pick of how he screwed the old pipes up using an openended spanner for the job

Quote

thanks for that there is a large pool of oil in the casting around the cooler also round the front banjo bolt so its off to vauxhall to get new bolts and gaskets

dellboy · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 August 2006, 16:11:00 »

Quote

I must agree that oil cooler does sound potentially leaking. For what it costs and the fact that these DO pack up, it would be worth replacing it now at the same time as you are doing most of the work already.

Second guess is rocker gasket. If it is leaking on the outer edge nearest the inlet manifold, you won't necessarily get any oil in the plug wells. When were the breathers last checked?

i agree i am goling to replace oil cooler and i have just taken spark plug out there is small amount of oil in hole so i am goig to do rocker gaskets aswell

TheBoy · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 August 2006, 16:11:04 »

According to my local dealer, you cannot buy the washers for the coolant bridge (that needs to come off to get to rear bolt) - you have to buy whole bridge!

dellboy · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 August 2006, 16:38:48 »

just spoke to vauxhall in hemel hempstead, will sell me washers for £1.49 each,£81.00 for oil cooler
£25.00 for rocker cover gasket + vat do you think that is reasonable

Timbuk · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 August 2006, 16:51:54 »

Got my oil cooler from ebay, 76 quid including next day delivery and vat. You might get a bit of discount if you want a few bits

See here:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10404&item=200005163391

RonaldMcBurger · « **Reply #15 on:** 31 August 2006, 17:16:45 »

Get someone with a TRADE CLUB card near you to get them. if not, just ask for trade. They will give you trade at the drop of a hat, just play the part of a small time mobile mechanic. All a game really, but even trade will get you 15% + saved.

Timbuk · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 August 2006, 17:36:26 »

Quote

Get someone with a TRADE CLUB card near you to get them. if not, just ask for trade. They will give you trade at the drop of a hat, just play the part of a small time mobile mechanic. All a game really, but even trade will get you 15% + saved.

Yep, worked for me to when i went to get grey sealent from the stealers

Markjay · « **Reply #17 on:** 01 September 2006, 00:25:56 »

...wear overalls and make sure you have dirt under your fingernails...

Markjay · « **Reply #18 on:** 01 September 2006, 00:29:00 »

Dellboy, I see that you are in Borhamwood so not too far away from me. I am going to be at my Trade Club Vx dealer on Wednesday next week, and can get you the parts on Trade Club - but this is a small dealership and they will probably not have in stock, so if you want it then let me know asap so that I can order it by phone and ask them to have it ready for me.

dellboy · « **Reply #19 on:** 01 September 2006, 22:05:41 »

thanks for the offer markjay but i wanted to start repairing today so i just bought them ,i did ask for discount but they where not having it

Markjay · « **Reply #20 on:** 01 September 2006, 22:36:22 »

Good luck and let is know how it worked out...

dellboy · « **Reply #21 on:** 05 September 2006, 18:14:22 »

hello again i have almost completed assembly but i seem to have a pipe with nowhere to go at the back of engine cant find other end but goes down behind engine, its 1/2 inch dia thick wall1/4 hole hard rubber

TheBoy · « **Reply #22 on:** 05 September 2006, 18:58:54 »

Not the autobox breather is it? Comes up from box, and left to vent

dellboy · « **Reply #23 on:** 05 September 2006, 20:11:17 »

thanks The boy you were right but i should have looked in faq first its there posted by Ronald McBurger

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Author Topic: v6 oil leak (Read 3589 times)

RonaldMcBurger

RonaldMcBurger