CDTi incontinance

[HarryM1BYT]

It was bone dry when I serviced it a few weeks ago, dry this morning before I set off to do around 18 mile today, or at least there were no oil spots on the floor of my garage.

I parked up at a local super market, on my way back and spotted a small puddle level with and inboard of the front offside wheel. The engine under cover was in place and it was dripping from that. I checked the fluids and all seemed fine, so I continued the half mile home - not its in my drive, up on ramps with the engine cover removed. Its very wet under the sump, the power steering pump and a mist on the underside of the alternator.

As near as I could tell, the crank area was dry. Power steering dip-stick showed no loss, under side of the engine oil filter was dry. Colour of the oil appeared to be amber, the colour of engine oil. With engine on ramps, dip stick is showing minimum, on the level, at Lidl it was showing 3/4 full.

Ideas please for potential leak points to check out.

[first-things-first]

Try the return oil feed from the turbo. Mine recently leaked from where it meets the block. It's up where the water pump is. A couple of copper crush washers from Rimmer's sorted it.

See here https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=298104

[COLVERT]

Not too sure about this Harry but I expect someone will say yes or No.

I think there is a crank case breather on the engine. If this gets blocked then oil, under pressure, can come out through the seal on the crank case pulley end. This oil would show in the places that you are seeing it.
There are other ways of course like a sump gasket or a loose oil feed pipe as others have said.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

Not too sure about this Harry but I expect someone will say yes or No.

I think there is a crank case breather on the engine. If this gets blocked then oil, under pressure, can come out through the seal on the crank case pulley end. This oil would show in the places that you are seeing it.
There are other ways of course like a sump gasket or a loose oil feed pipe as others have said.

I have no urgency to fix it - I only took a quick look, but the crank pulley seemed perfectly dry. F-T-F seemed to be suggest that turbo return feed banjo is at the rear of the engine, whereas my leak seems to be at the front of the engine, around the steering pump, but lower than the alternator. The sump was dripping with fresh oil and I cannot see it being possible for the oil be blown from the back of the engine towards the front.

The lower engine mount was dry. I have not tried running the engine and having a look yet.

[first-things-first]

Sorry Harry, should have read it properly. If you had the leak I had, there would be gooey oil all over the back of the engine right hand side, under tray and it also sprayed under the air cleaner to turbo air inlet u bend pipe.

[trikey]

Im going to go with the turbo pipes too, two of mine had the same issue.

[clf]

I think Colbert may have mentioned it above, the blue doesn't show on my phone). Have you changed the PCV filter recently? With the engine running remove the dipstick (oil may spew out if really bad). Or remove the oil filler cap and feel for a lot pressure and spitting oil.

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[clf]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

I rang Big Russ to see if he had any ideas as to what could leak around that area. He suggested oil filter, or oil cooler, or PCV blocked and pressurising the engine.

For the first time since I serviced it, in readiness to delve deeper, I removed the engine top cover and spotted the large oil filter O ring had bubbled out towards the rear of the top, slightly hidden under front of the engine cover. All seemed dry and felt dry, but I thought best fix it whilst I remember.

I removed the lid, reseated the O ring, started the engine and no more leakage - I'm just stumped as to how that much oil could be leaking out, without it being obvious it was from the oil filter cover?

More checks to make, to be sure it is fixed, but looks promising.

That's good news. It doesn't take much to nip the o ring. I think it is something like 22nm torque.

Check for the pcv in any case, as if it was blocked and pressure built up, that would be the weak point for it to leak from with pressure.

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[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by clf

That's good news. It doesn't take much to nip the o ring. I think it is something like 22nm torque.

Check for the pcv in any case, as if it was blocked and pressure built up, that would be the weak point for it to leak from with pressure.

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I've kept an eye on the original PCV, its always been perfectly clean. As a quick check, I remove the oil filler cap with the engine running to see if there is any pressure building up.

Good point though, I'll check it again.

[clf]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

I've kept an eye on the original PCV, its always been perfectly clean. As a quick check, I remove the oil filler cap with the engine running to see if there is any pressure building up.

Good point though, I'll check it again.

The PCV should be black and filthy, if it is clean there may be an issue elsewhere. (perhaps I am misinterpreting perfectly clean for clear? as in fumes can pass through).

They dont need changed for tens of thousands of miles I believe, but I change mine every oil change, for the cost and time it takes it gives me peace of mind. Plus I get the excuse to nosey around the rear of the engine bay and check out the fuel lines etc.