1.9D engine oil leak down right/back of engine

sdelasal · Post by **sdelasal** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:33 pm

The car has had an engine oil leak since I got it and it's getting annoying. I've changed the rocker seal but that did no good. There is also a diesel smell after a run and so I think i have a leak from the pump shaft seal too. The diesel leak probably makes the oil leak seem worse than it is.

What's puzzling is that i have oil where the plastic runners from the air box on top of the engine meet the alloy intake runners, cam belt end of the engine - I don't understand how oil can be getting up there. I also see oil along the top of the intake manifold, again cambelt end.

Sort of related is that I get a lot of judder when pulling away and I suespect the engine mounts are shot - the lower one has been bathing in oil for a long long time I would guess - i've splashed out on three new mounts from GSF - I won't fit them though until I sort out the oil/diesel leak.

So first step will be to take off the timing belt cover and have a look. So i'm after advice on what is likely to be the cause and how to proceed.. my plan is as follows.

Get front of car onto axle stands.
suspension on low...does it matter which position?
remove wheel arch covers under offside front wheel arch?
remove belt covers
Loosen timing belt...
Remove pump pulley, remove pump from car & change input shaft seal.
Figure out where oil is leaking from ..? Perhaps cam shaft oil seal?

Put it all back together...
What's the service interval on the belt & tensioner? These were changed ~20K miles ago in 2007 ago, Are there other pulley in the timing belt mechanism that should be changed too while i'm there?

Steve

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:28 am

What's puzzling is that i have oil where the plastic runners from the air box on top of the engine meet the alloy intake runners, cam belt end of the engine - I don't understand how oil can be getting up there. I also see oil along the top of the intake manifold, again cambelt end.

I'm not sure what/where you're referring to here, if they are breather hoses then a little oil in these is normal.

Get front of car onto axle stands. OK but don't need to
suspension on low...does it matter which position? Easier on high to remove wing liners
remove wheel arch covers under offside front wheel arch? Yes
remove belt covers
Loosen timing belt...Lock the flywheel, camshaft and pump first
Remove pump pulley, remove pump from car & change input shaft seal. Not done a lucas one - good luck
Figure out where oil is leaking from ..? Perhaps cam shaft oil seal? It'll be obvious once you look - could also be crankshaft oil seal!

Regarding the fuel pump and leaking seals I have read the following in a transport manual.

If a diesel engine has used a particular brand of fuel for any length of time, the seals with absorb some of the additives in the fuel. If the fuel source is switched to a supermarket brand where additives are not added to the basic diesel, a leaching effect can occur. The additives formerly absorbed by the seal are leached out resulting in shrinking/cracking of the seal!

I think the timing belt replacement interval is 60,000. There is a tensioning roller and an idler roller. AFAIK there is no replacement interval. 20,000 miles should be no stress to either roller.

If you have fuel and oil leaking into the timing belt 'chamber' I'd seriously reduce use of the car until you've fixed it!

macplaxton · Post by **macplaxton** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:23 pm

BX Bandit wrote:If a diesel engine has used a particular brand of fuel for any length of time, the seals with absorb some of the additives in the fuel. If the fuel source is switched to a supermarket brand where additives are not added to the basic diesel, a leaching effect can occur. The additives formerly absorbed by the seal are leached out resulting in shrinking/cracking of the seal!

Kinda whiffs of major retailer propaganda. Hmmm, a transport manual. Not a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Gibbo2286 · Post by **Gibbo2286** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:09 pm

The engine should have negative pressure in the crankcase, you may find, as I did, that the only problem causing the oil leak was the breather valve (the round plastic unit in the hose to cam cover) faulty, this causes the pressure in the cam cover to blow oil out past the gasket no matter how good or new that gasket is. Gibbo.

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:22 pm

macplaxton wrote:
BX Bandit wrote:If a diesel engine has used a particular brand of fuel for any length of time, the seals with absorb some of the additives in the fuel. If the fuel source is switched to a supermarket brand where additives are not added to the basic diesel, a leaching effect can occur. The additives formerly absorbed by the seal are leached out resulting in shrinking/cracking of the seal!
Kinda whiffs of major retailer propaganda. Hmmm, a transport manual. Not a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

It does I admit, but it was an excerpt (all be it badly reproduced by me!) from an official manual. I used to work for a company manufacturing bin collection vehicles and it was in a 'Dept Of Transport-esque' manual. I don't think anything has been proved along these lines but it 'makes sense' I guess.

The chap I know who works for Texaco told me that the raw fuel is the same, regardless of who sells it. Then, particular retailers (Shell/Texaco/Esso etc) add their own concoction of additives.

As a whole, supermarkets don't bother with the additives for cost reasons and so back to my original statement.

macplaxton · Post by **macplaxton** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:43 am

Well whilst it might be a nice theoretical explanation, I'll file it in the "not proven yet" part of my mind.

Sceptic? Me? Nah!

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:36 pm

Surely if the fuels all meet the BS EN standards then they should a) be compatible b) have little difference in effect on a fuel seal?
I can't imagine vehicle manufacturers would be allowed to sell cars if fuel seals can leak as a result of changing from Shell to Tesco fuels, i suspect there might be a few warranty issues for a start.

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:08 pm

All fuels I suspect will meet the relevant BS EN standards but the additives are the retailers magic concoction to 'transform' your engine etc. It may well be a load of bull, but my opinion is not helped by the fact that my rotodiesel pump started leaking after using supermarket fuel. Probably coincidence I know but I hate said supermarket with a passion and so my opinions on this are somewhat biased!

regarding warranty claims that's a good point. Perhaps it occurs more on older cars but then how do you prove whether it's old age or the fuel that's caused the issue?!