That's where I got my alu dimpled sheet from too. And my fan switch alu tee piece for the electric fan mod - a handy source of parts actually!

Quite a few nice toys on that :) And it looks tidy and well implemented too.

As others have said, just move the compressor :) Remember to unplug the connector before lifting up as the wiring probably won't put up much of a fight!

Try and avoid straining the metal pipes too much, but it should just flop over and sit on/around the airbox/headlight etc. Had mine like that when we pulled the engine out not long ago and mine is gassed up and working - so I was paranoid about it :P

I'm actually going to try cork gaskets on that rocker cover next... if the oil continues to appear underneath with no evidence from the rockers, then bollocks to it.

Long term I still need a new engine. It's got water glass in the coolant now to hopefully sort the #6 problem - if it works for now, great. If not, oh well. It got a new header tank on the weekend as I noticed stress cracks on both sides of the one it had.

Well at least there was one to hand :) The fact the heat shield got that hot without the cat even glowing says they're done - it actually looks more like its burning given the ember line.

I've replaced mine with dimpled ali sheet - although you can still buy new OEM replacements. To fit those though would ideally need the exhaust dropped out. Molesting the ali sheet into place once cut with the engine out and Y pipe hanging free was painful enough.

Almost nice though when its easy to diagnose like that! My flex plate had me looking all over the place... swapping pulleys, alternators etc.

Pleasing to actually find the problem in the end though... even if it meant pulling the engine out to fix. Still didn't get that bloody oil leak sorted though.

I'd seriously consider replacing what remains of your heat shields too.... lucky not to have had a proper fire with the state they're in. Well done for having the extinguisher though.

But yes, the idle valve/motor thing has the same shape connector as the coil pack stupidly.

Can confirm: still have scar.

Pretty sure countless vehicles are running around just fine with the standard affair... I've done both of mine in kunifer and standard fittings and had no problems...

I wouldn't even entertain buying new shaped original hard lines, unless you're planning to take the body off to fit them without kinking them, whether they were £23 or £230.

That's my confusion Richard - there should be no high pressure oil feed near where this leak seems to be coming from.

I'll get and get the mirror further round over the weekend and see. I'll be pissed if the valley gasket is the cause.

Disappointingly, the oil leak persists. It's not coming from the rocker cover, and I can't see it coming from the rear valley gasket as we changed that and the end seals etc. I am perplexed. Again it's building up and appears to be coming from the cylinder head joint... But so far as I can work out, there should be no oil passageways there?

Why is it always diesels that get the eyeraping treatment... I think I've seen this particular shed before. 'No rips or tears in leather' - conveniently hides the drivers seat with a cover. At least its been cleaned before taking pics I guess.

Oddly the 9" grinder doesn't bother me - but then I've only ever used it it with a diamond wheel cutting down bits of wall. Maybe the soft start and ear protection dampens the thought of impending doom if it tries to run away...

The 4" one though... won't catch me ever using one without a guard or having it spin towards me. If I have to find another way to make the problematic whatever 'go away', I will. looks around for gas axe

Friction fit :P

Well after a lot of degreasing and replacing of valley, front cover and front main gaskets, oil cooler orings, replacement of body heat shields with new ones that were hand crafted with dimpled ali sheet, swapping out of the Y pipe to a decatted one, the engine went back in. With a new flex plate, obviously. Considered a bit of tape on the old one but couldn't find the roll!

Also replaced the oil pump gears. My engine has always been quite rattly, and while the pump gears that came out weren't cracked, they did have quite a bit of pitting. Anyway - I'm quite sure a lot of the rattle has now gone - be it from higher oil pressure or the gears being worn I don't know.

Still need to run water glass through it to seal up no6 for the time being, but for now at least, its happy again. And with even more V8 rumble.

Day 2:

Martin with his massive tool:

Can just about see the top bits of new heat shields. I could have gotten these better, the passenger side I got a bit wrong as I was using the remains of the crap old fibreglass ones as templates - it wasn't until fitting to the vehicle I realised a middle section was entirely missing of the original, so mine was too short!

I'd strongly suggest checking your heat shields... this was sat on the exhaust.

Moved back out of the workshop by itself, making all the right noises again :)

Well, with the engine out it seems like the valley gasket could be the cause of the leak. Or the front cover, it's not all that clear... It really looks like it's coming from the head gasket. But there is no oil galley there... So it can't be.

Oh, and it came with a free jigsaw puzzle:

I think I was lucky to get to the Swindon P38 centre to be honest. Not quite obvious in the photos but the plate around the centre boss was twisting and not long from breaking free. The clamping ring was all that was holding it together - once the last bolt was removed it all fell on the floor.

Oh - also, don't forget the front needs to drop down about 1-2cm to release it from the crush cans.

If it doesn't drop when removing the bolts, thump it from the top downwards and it should come free. On refitting, it has to lift back up, or you let the bolts pull it up, but it may take some wiggling to get the pins to align.

The bumper slides into mounts on each side - the plastic block (once upon a time, white) is on the bumper side, and there is a metal wire clip that rotates either up or down and clips around the block and bracket to keep it locked in.

The amount of mud/grime that gets over them though can get them pretty stuck, and the wire clip can become a rusty mess.

Is it worth putting the 'all in one' PDF version on the site, Gordon?

I use that one most of the time because it works on anything and doesn't take up too much space. It's 105MB - so yes, a large PDF, but not massive compared to the CD etc.

I suppose something major-ish had to go wrong sooner or later. I've been using it daily for 18 months since moving, and the last 6 months it hasn't had much more than an oil change and fluid top off when needed.

A weekend in the infamous Swindon P38 workshop in a couple of weeks and it should be patched up for a while longer! In the meantime.. it's time for the E39 to get insured/taxed/MOT'd this week to give the RR a rest. That was always the plan once my house etc was sorted. The p38 was never meant to be the daily driver... but it just does a good job at everything. And sounds good both inside and outside while it does... which reminds me... the sound system inside my 5 series is crap. Must address that at some point...

Well. I have good news.

I will soon know where the leak(s) are coming from, with nice easy access on an engine stand.

The bad news is the flex plate is cracked in at least two places, and this seems to be the cause of the horrendous noise coming from something when the engine is hot and load is put on the engine at idle.

Cock.

Drivers side cat is also rattling... so that will be swapped with a pre-emptied Y pipe, heat shields fixed/replaced, oil leaks (hopefully) fixed, and a quick clean up... all slightly annoying as none of this solves the coolant loss or oil burning, and I plan to replace the engine sometime next year. But on the other hand, given the flex plate might let go at any point, it needs to be done.