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[sounds2k]

hi folks,

a month or two ago, I noticed on a long run that the "check oil level" warning showed on the GID. I did as it said, and - sure enough - the level was low.

Having just got the car back from the bodyshop, I checked the oil and made sure it was OK too ... as I've also noticed that the coolant seems to be dropping a bit (I think).

On a run today, the "check oil level" light came on again, I've noticed two things:

1) if you switch off the air conditioning once the engine is warm, the idle revs are about 500-ish, at this speed it sounds like it's missing (a lilttle bit) - just not completely smooth. If you switch the air con back on, revs sit at 700 and idle seems completely smooth.
2) there's a drip of oil from the back of the engine, looks like where the engine and gearbox meet - there are two torx headed bolts and the oil drips from there. Oil also seen on the subframe - but I did spill a bit when topping up the oil level, so that may have come from there?





Having stripped off the plenum chamber and inlet manifold, I saw a bit of coolant next to the thermostat, however having thought about it, this may have come from the throttle body coolant hose when I removed it.




I can't see any oil in the spark plug wells nor in the valley between the two banks (next to the heat exchanger and stat).

The engine still pulls like a train and revs freely.

I cleaned out the breathers 2 or 3 months ago, they weren't clogged up much ... there's no mayo in the oil filler neck, coolant in expansion tank seems to be OK (there's a bit of what looks like scale in the tank, around the edges), no mayo on dipstick.

So ...... any ideas?

I'm a bit worried that it appears to be using (or more to the point losing) quite a bit of oil, seems worse on a run rather than short trips though.

Any ideas as to what might be causing the oil leak???

thanks  

[Essex_Andy]

oil filter tight?

oil pipes from cooler to block ok?

the half moons on the back of cam covers sealed ok?

rear crank seal?

Possible to steam off the engine then trace oil leak?

Seeing as you have the inlets off...how about doing the cam cover gaskets anyway?

Also for the sake of it I'd renew the oil cooler cover sealant and sealing washers and bolts and O-rings that go with the cooler cover and coolant bridge

If you do renew the oil cooler bits...the large nuts that secure the cooler cover to the cooler...undo 1/2 a turn then do up 1/4 a turn...repeat until removed....the metal threads are soft and prone to strip. Use new nuts and rubber O-rings and new crush washers when putting back together. I fitted new banjo bolts too....I recommend likewise for the coolant bridge

Best of luck fella

[sounds2k]

oil filter's fine - both the body of the housing to the block and the cap - no signs of oil leaking anywhere near there. Seems to be coming from the back of the block?

the trouble with the pipes is seeing where they go with the engine in situ  

I take it the rear crank seal is an engine out & strip down job? If so, waaaaaaaaaay beyond my capabilities!

I've got to put it back together tomorrow but will pop into Vx and order the bits for changing cam cover gaskets, then take a day off work and do those - should be the lesser of the evils

I've not touched the oil cooler before - what's involved in doing what you described? I believe I need a crow's foot spanner, do you know what size?

thanks  

[BigCat]

The coolant sitting in the well looks as though it has been there a long time. If the photograph is correct, the orange stain looks like corrosion reside from the coolant. If it is, the likely culprit is the adjacent thermostat housing or oil cooler plate, although it's hard to tell if either is leaking from the photograph.

[Essex_Andy]

looking at the photos again I'd say thermo housing is/was leaking

To get to rear crank seal flywheel has to come off

I didnt need a crows foot socket set when I done my cooler cover last month

But the cost of replacing all the rubber seals, washers, bolts etc was about £180
(thats all inlet seals, cam cover seals and O-rings, sealing washers, banjo bolts, sealant, oil filter antifreeze etc)

[sophos9]

oil filter tight?

Also for the sake of it I'd renew the oil cooler cover sealant and sealing washers and bolts and O-rings that go with the cooler cover and coolant bridge

Only do this if you really have to, the majority find that removing oil cooler nuts takes the oil cooler thread with it, I have first hand experience of this and nothing I could of done would have prevented it!

[Essex_Andy]

oil filter tight?

Also for the sake of it I'd renew the oil cooler cover sealant and sealing washers and bolts and O-rings that go with the cooler cover and coolant bridge

Only do this if you really have to, the majority find that removing oil cooler nuts takes the oil cooler thread with it, I have first hand experience of this and nothing I could of done would have prevented it!

I was told before hand that the cooler threads are soft...so thats why I went slow and easy on them nuts....1/2 undo..1/4 tighten...1/2 undo...1/4 tighten...just like cutting a fresh thread.

Passing on methods that worked for me...not guranteeing that they will work for everyone

I was either lucky or lucky and used the right technique :-?

[sounds2k]

thanks for the suggestions so far  

upon putting it all back together again this morning, I'm not sure if the coolant next to the thermostat housing is from there or if it's from the throttle coolant hose.

However in daylight I did notice that the back of the cam cover gasket on the N/S bank does in fact look a bit oil-soaked compared to the O/S bank, so I guess I'll be doing both of those as my first port of call, hopefully that will fix the oil leak

[sophos9]

I was told before hand that the cooler threads are soft...so thats why I went slow and easy on them nuts....1/2 undo..1/4 tighten...1/2 undo...1/4 tighten...just like cutting a fresh thread.

Passing on methods that worked for me...not guranteeing that they will work for everyone

I was either lucky or lucky and used the right technique :-?

Snap, I was well aware and went slowly turning about 1/12 then going backwards the same amount - one was great, the other went... bummer!

At least I got to replace it with a stainless!!