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[bconnelly]

Hi all. My 2000(W) 2.5 V6 has sprung a hellish oil leak somewhere at the bottom of the engine towards the gearbox. I am certain it's engine oil not transmission fluid and its being srayed all over the underside and stinks when it burns. I cant for the life of me see where its coming from. Anyone know usual weak spots?

Cheers

BC

[hotel21]

Usual weakspot is cam cover gaskets, normally invoked by blocked breathers.

Pull a plug lead or two on either bank and look for oil presence.  if so, gaskets need replacing.

By the description 'spraying out' - is it really?  Or simply a leak thats getting burnt off?  How often you need to top up the oil?

If it is spraying then its under pressure, not simply a gravity leak with a little pressure thats the norm for the gaskets.  Then its a different sort of leak.

Hows the coolant system?  Also under pressure?  Any crud in the header?

[bconnelly]

Hi hotel21,

Plug holes look clean and cam covers dry, that was my first thought too. My poor wording. Its just dripping under the engine and being sprayed back by the wind when driving. Mechanic crawled under and tightened a few things but says he cant see where its coming from. Using about a litre a week. Coolant is fine, no muck in header.

Ta.

BC

[hotel21]

For the litre a week, how many miles is that?  See from previous posts you do the M8 shuffle daily so thinking circa 500 per week upwards?  If so, thats a bit of a thirst for oil....  Book is about a litre per 1000 miles but most are much less than that.

Would suggest a good clean of the underside, some gunk and a water wash or even a VERY carefull powerwash, then take it for a normalish condition run to try to track where its coming from.

Other normal lowdown leak points include oil pressure sender switch at front beside bottom pully, front crankshaft (pully) seal and sumps.

If the engine is clean (even for a wee while), its easier to track down leaks.

Deffo engine oil, not power steering or hydraulics?

[hotel21]

Auto or manual?

[shyboy]

Is it possible that the cam cover gasket is leaking at just one spot, eg. the rear 'half moon' section, or on the nearside of the gasket only, and therefore not leaking into the plug recesses, thereby giving a false impression. If so, there should be evidence of oil if you run your fingers round the cam cover below the gasket line in those areas. And if the 'half moon' part of the gasket has failed, (or has been badly fitted previously), the leak could be very substantial.

[guru]

Sounds similar-ish to the oil leak mine had (3.0 v6) - ended up replacing the cam cover gaskets out of due course as they were weeping slightly, but the main oil leak was from the seal where the oil cooler pipes join to the radiator in the valley of the engine - it was leaking heaps of oil like yours sounds like it is, and it cost a couple of new washers (and a lot of backbreaking hours) to fix..
anyway - she's not leaking any more oil now

[bob.dent]

I'm no mechanic but it does sound like rocker cover gaskets. I had mine go a couple times on my old 2.5 V6 and was always accompanied by the stink of burning oil coming in to the car.

[Crazydad]

Can you see oil running down the side of the Engine, or is it just underneath, it could also be the lower oil sump gasket.

[bconnelly]

Some good advice there folks. Much appreciated. I cant see any on the sides of the engine only underneath. I will take some time this weekend and look a bit harder especially at the back of the engine. For info it is an Auto. I do about 120 miles daily, mostly motorway. Doubt it's important but i'm running on LPG. Like I say, i'll look harder and let you know what I find.

Cheers

BC

[hotel21]

pm sent.....