As I've previously professed, I am not a car fixer man, so don't take the mick that I dunno what stuffs called. However, if I think I can fix something, I'll have a good go.

I've been for an underbody steam clean this afternoon (the car, not me!) so I could hopefully trace the oil leaks.

Firstly, there's this round thing. What's it do and how do I stop it leaking? I imagine there's some sort of gasket in it? There's a couple of little leaks on the mating surface too which I assume would be a gearbox out job to fix? I've circled them all in red in case anyone has a dicky monitor.

The second one looks like it's gonna be a right nuisance. I bet loadsa stuff has to come off to fit a 50p part. Again I've circled around it in red. This is at the front of the engine, looking up from underneath. Oil had been dripping down and under which led me to think it might be the sump gasket. That's all dry now so the root of the problem is here.

Thanks

First one is easy. The round thing is an inspection plate and there's no gasket as there should be nothing but fresh air the other side of it. You've got a minor leak from the gearbox front seal (if it's runny and red) or the engine rear main seal (if it's less runny and oil coloured). It's dribbling down and some is coming out of the join between engine and gearbox while the rest is settling at the bottom and coming out of the inspection hole.

Second one is a bit more difficult as I can't for the life of me work out what we are looking at......

thanks Gilbert. I was hoping you'd swing by.

Oil in the first picture is more oil coloured so possibly engine rear main seal. Is that a massive job??

I've done some googling regarding the second picture and it tells me about the front engine cover/timing cover/oil pump. I think in the centre of that picture lies the oil pump seal?

Hi
I have just been cleaning my engine and sump etc. Mine is just like yours in the first pictures and I think my oil deposits are from leaking rocker covers and it's had just been running down the back of the engine and into and on the bell housing. The other picture is the front right hand side of the engine again mine was filthy there and again I think it's from leaking rocker cover gaskets. My engine was absolutely filthy when I got my car and the rocker covers had been leaking for years by the look of things. Now it's all cleaned up it looks a lot better and seems to leak no more.
Rob

I did my rocker covers about 6 weeks ago. Engine bay is bone dry now on the top now. Just out the bottom I have a couple of issues.

Unsure what's involved with the engine rear main seal. I'll wait for more info on that one.

The other leak at the front from googling and the position it is, points to either the front cover gasket (if that would leak oil) or the oil pump seal. I could be wrong, but that's what I've come up with so far.

blueplasticsoulman wrote:

Unsure what's involved with the engine rear main seal. I'll wait for more info on that one.

Engine out (or at least pulled forward) or gearbox off. Unless it's leaving drops on the floor, I'd leave it alone.

The one at the front could also be the oil pressure switch or pressure relief valve O ring. But I may be completely wrong as if it was from there I'd expect to see the bottom of the oil filter in the pic.

I'll get some different perspective pictures tomorrow so you can perhaps pinpoint what i'm looking at.

As for the rear end, if this is the result after a longer period of time and you did not clean it yesterday I'd leave it as it is. As Gilbert says, if it's red it is the front box seal (torque converter), is it black it's the engine's rear mainseal. For both it is a engine forward/box rearward job, if you are not planning an engine-out job in the near future I should just check fluids regulary and leave it. (I've heard it is possible to fit a dipstick to the ZF4HP24)

As for the front it looks like a timingcover seal, not difficult to renew.
Hardest part is the crankbolt that holds the pulley, you need a socket 24 and a scaffoldpole to undo it, specs are 200 Nm. and lowering the oilpan.
For more room I should take out the radiator.

It may not be the rocker covers, how bout the valley gasket, it's a common fault, hard to see though without popping the coil pack out.. if it is the rear main seal there is stuff to renovate seals on the market, although I've never used any..

With the one at the front, is it maybe dripping down from the oil filter mounting? I've just done the O-ring on the bypass valve.

Don't think it's oil filter housing as it's not near where the leak is.

Don't think it's the valley gasket as when I stripped the top to do the injectors, I had my hand down the back to undo the fuel rail. There was no oil down the back.

I think there's a product you can bung in the oil to "swell up" seals. I might give that a go with regard to the main oil seal.

Gonna do the others in my mates garage.

here's a few more shots of the offending area. hopefully you can tell where I mean now.

Again I've circled in red. On the last picture, you can see the oil is a golden colour, like new, on the sump. It's on the threads of the bolts and leaking down underneath. Could this be coming down the thread? New sump gasket?

On the other shots, it's the darker oil patches i'm on about. They're nearer the front cover. I know they don't look bad but bear in mind I had it steam cleaned yesterday. I'd just like to get it sorted before it gets worse.

Everything else is clean. Nothing on or around the oil filter itself.

Before you jump at the sump gasket, make sure it's not coming from the oil cooler pipes. They have Orings at the end of them, easy to change oil filter end. I would again scan higher up to make sure it's not running down.. valley gasket rubbers can be deceiving

there's nothing on any other part of the engine apart from the bits I've highlighted here. Oil cooler is the one behind the radiator yes? Nothing on them pipes.

The rubber gasket rarely fails, it must of been off at some point, check through rave , there's a few points you put a spot of rsv, I'm amazed you found anywhere to give the underneath a clean, I've been trying to get mine steam cleaned but no luck, I've not got any leaks, just want it cleaned off ,,

Chris, have you tried Truck Washes? Some of them have big ramps to put the units on when they want to clean under the chassis before MOT. Puts them right up in the air and makes the job easy.
There are a few down near Purfleet on the industrial estate.

If your ever passing the north east, the place i went was called Motorcool. Its in Stockton.

Big 4 post lift outside that you drive up, then the guy walks underneath with his coat on, sprays it with parafin, then washes it off with a massive hot water pressure washer thingy. £25 like, but money well spent if you need yo see whats going on.

I did try with my karcher, think I was wetter than the car afterwards, lol

Put some lucas oil engibe stop leak in.this morning. Recommended by the motor factors instead of Wynns. See if that does the trick first.

I've got a hot Karcher pressure washer, and it's awesome. Started breaking tarmac up while cleaning a diesel spill a while back... have to be careful with how hot you use it!

Only downside is its massive, and needs to be kept above freezing (ie, indoors) during the winter or the heating coil bursts...