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[Bumbazor]

I have an oil leak which starts smoking about 3 or 4 minutes after staritng the engine. It does it even when idling. It's not oil I have spilt as that's all burned off.

It is coming from the passenger side of the engine. At first look I thought it was the cam cover gasket but it's not. I have run my finger around the edge and din't get any new oil. Also there's no trace of oil leaking down from it.
I can't see the oil easily but I can see the smoke is coming from somewhere further down the engine although I can't tell where. I think it's about 1 or 2 inches down from where the cam covers are. I can't see the source of the leak as it looks like it's in a recess (that I saw when I removed what I think is a heat shield). The view is obscured either from under the car or through that hole in the wheel arch.

So what in the way of leaking potential is there further down from the cam cover gaskets? Remember it starts smoking minutes after starting so it probably leaks from the start.

Thanks

[Sir Tigger KC]

I had a nasty leak a while back from my oil filter housing, and it was the seal where the filter housing sits up against the block.

[feeutfo]

when i bought my car i checked as you have along the edge of the cover to head seal above the heat shield. It was dry, no oil in plug wells. Great i thought no problems then.

 Then i did the cam belt, with every thing removed except the back cam belt  cover i could see a leak from the pass side bank running down from below the back belt cover. This was not possible to see without all the gubbins removed, or at least i dont know how to find it without fairly major work. As it happens it was a small weep and may have been cured by retorquing the bolts as i found 3 or 4 where loose.(setting is 8nm)

Point is just because you cant see the cam cover leak doesnt mean its not leaking. It may be that the seal is blowing by around the half moons at the front of the engine behind the cam wheels. The seals dont last for ever and will most likely need changing  at some point even if the breathers never block.

If it was me i would check the plug wells for oil and if ok re torque the cam cover bolts first off and see if it stops but by the sound of it you need new seals, use genuine vx only or youll be back to square one in a couple of months. Hth :-)

[Danny S]

Clean up the engine block from under the car,drive a few miles until it's on temp. and check block.
I had a leak once and couldn't find it,dealer cleaned block and it was the cam cover gasket.

Good luck find the leak.

gr

Danny

[Bumbazor]

Hmm.... didn't think about the half moons and stupidly I didn't check them. Will do so when I have time.

To be honest I don't think it is but I hope it is the cam cover gaskets. I'm worried it's something more serious but I just can't think what else it could be!

Maybe I should say this seems to be more evident after changing cam belt.

What's the best stuff to clean all the manky oil from the block, so I have a better idea where it's coming from?

[feeutfo]

have a look in the club shop under maintenance the pic shows the half moons etc.

[Bumbazor]

Thanks; I know where they are but just didn't think to check for oil around the half moons. I only ran my finger alonge the long side of the gasket (where the oil filler neck is) because that is where the smoke was coming from.

Where would smoke of burnt oil leaking out of half moons eminate?

I'll check the half moons but I'll be replacing the gaskets anyway after I get back off honeymoon.

[feeutfo]

my post was a bit missleading i think, the halfmoons in the gaskit sit at the back as your probably know, i mean the "half moons"  round the cam bearing at the front behind the cam wheels.
Not the best description.

Due to the angle of the v any oil escaping round the cams, esp the exhaust cam could well end up round the exhaust manifold/heat shield.
  
Aaanyway, there's no where else the oil can come from, the other possible areas are too low on the block. Hth

[Bumbazor]

any oil escaping round the cams, esp the exhaust cam could well end up round the exhaust manifold/heat shield

That certainly makes more sense to me, but how can I check? I assume I would have to remove the timing belt rear cover...
Where is the exhaust cam?

there's no where else the oil can come from

That's good then. Just got to try to find the source...


I'll get all the cam cover gasket bits and seals then replace the gaskets in a few weeks. Hopefully that will stop it.

[Bumbazor]

Going to replace cam cover gaskets this weekend. If I find out it's not them causing the leak, what else should I look at?

Remember this happens with car standing, after 4 or 5 minutes after starting it starts smoking so I assume the leaks starts as soon as car gets going, then heats up, then smokes. It doesn't leak with engine off as I left it for 2 weeks and oil level was still the same.

If not gaskets, oil cooler maybe?