oil leak

30csl

30csl

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Hi Lads,

I have an oil leak at the back of the engine somewhere - havent had a chance to clean it off and try and see where its come from but wondered what are the favourite culprits and which ones need the engine out to fix?

Thanks,

Rohan
 
30csl said:
oil leak at the back of the engine somewhere - favourite culprits and which ones need the engine out to fix? Thanks, Rohan
Click to expand...

Finding an oil leak at the rear of the engine can be very simple or difficult depending upon the true source of the leak or combination of leaks. Gravity and wind have a way of playing tricks on the oil leak detective so that if given enough time, wind and gravity, the leak may appear to emanate from from the rear - even though it doesn't.:lol:

With that proviso, the likeliest source for leaks that are fixable in the car, is the valve cover which offers much surface area from which to seep. The oil pan might be next, followed by an ill fitting dipstick tube or even the oil filter housing. At the bottom of the list might be the rear main seal which requires transmission removal to access it. Front main seal can also leak. Parenthetically, how do you even know it is engine oil that is leaking? Transmissions, power steering, and even steering boxes have been known to discharge slippery substances too.

Do yourself a favor. Degrease (steam clean, simple green, or gunk) your engine so you don't find yourself chasing a phantom leak trail. If you are lucky, your purported engine leak is only remnant spillage. On the other hand, the old joke is that on these Karmann bodies, a leak is good in that it provides constant rust suppression for the undercarriage. (This might provide for real thrills if the car is repeatedly driven on Lombard Street. But make sure you're driving a rental with coverage!) :?
 
There's also a plate at the rear of the head which covers about five or six holes and is held on to the head with five or six different bolts (10mm head if I recall). One of those bolts gets a special thick washer under it, and there's a gasket between the plate and the head. I've seen the plate in both stamped steel as well as cast aluminum form. That plate is what the kids call a BEE-OTCH in terms of accessibility. It's possible to remove and reinstall with the head in place, but it's not at all easy.

The other place that heads can leak is from the gasket itself. This was the case with my CS, requiring me to remove the head, install a new gasket and re-torque.
 
Hi Guys, thanks for your comments

Bengal - you are right and the wind and gravity can make things misleading. I think I need to clean let it run in the garage for a while and hope to see a leak.

I suspect the oil filter housing so may replace that seal anyway.

Is that Lombard Street in San fran you refer to as thats where I'm staying.

TJ - I kno that plate as years ago when the engine was out I took it off to paint it. Perhaps I should have left it alone! I remember it had a cork gasket I think and 5/6 bolts. I guess if he tranny is disconnected and i undo the engine mounts I could jack move the engine forward for clearance?

I guess the power washer and gunk will be out this weekend!

Thanks,

Rohan
 
Well guys I finally got round to looking at this properly and lo and behold it seems its the oil pressure sensor that is leaking. The cam back plate is fine.

The more I looked at it the more it makes sense.

I left it alone as I need the car Friday but I will attack when I get back. Any idea what sort of a blank to buy as the idiot light sensor is redundant as I have one tapped into the oil filter housing.
 
Hi Rohan, not sure of the exact thread I think its 1/8 BSP but the best thing to do is take the sender to a hydraulic/pneumatic suppliers and ask them for a blanking plug of the same thread.
Regards Gary
 
Hi Rohan:
The oil pressure sender has a straight M12 x 1.5 thread with a copper seal washer.
Tom
 
thanks guys. I am going to wait to pull it Gary as its a pig to get at. Now i know what it is its not so annoying at all anyway. Amazing how much oil it throws out.
 
Hi guys,

I finally got the offending pressure sensor out and it was the source of the leak.

Does anyone know for certain what thread I need to buy to plug the sender location?

Many thanks,

Rohan
 
30csl said:
Hi Lads,

I have an oil leak at the back of the engine somewhere - havent had a chance to clean it off and try and see where its come from but wondered what are the favourite culprits and which ones need the engine out to fix?

Thanks,

Rohan
Click to expand...

Favourite cuplrit for oil leaks is British Polluteum. There is a Tony Hayward that can give you an optimistic assessment when he frees up in November, catch him before he departs for his new job in the Russian Gulag.
 
Yes its a pity that an American company (Haliburton) allowed BP to bully them into doing a shoddy job!

Tony Hayward will only go to a Russian Gulag if he has some desire to as he is about to receive a >£10m pension and payout.
 
30csl said:
Yes its a pity that an American company (Haliburton) allowed BP to bully them into doing a shoddy job!

Tony Hayward will only go to a Russian Gulag if he has some desire to as he is about to receive a >£10m pension and payout.
Click to expand...

Sure, and was it also an American physician who diagnosed Al-Megrahi's life expectancy?

You have to be able to take humor sometimes, cause there ain't much else to laugh at unless you are Hayward or Al-Megrahi.
 
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