10 replies to this topic

[stardude]

hiya

my car is a 91 studio 2 with original engine which is at 97,000 miles

over the past few weeks i have developed a selection of oil leaks, which all add up to quite a large leak.

the first one is gear selector - can deal with

the second is coming from around the top right hand of the engine around the head/timing cover area. this is the major leak!
i cant tell where its coming from exactly as my engine is no longer yellow but black with grime.
its leaking and spreading over to the fan and that is throwing it everywhere, so tracer dye would be pretty useless.
my thoughts are timing cover or maybe a fubared head gasket? what else could it be? it is quite a quantity, more so after a long journey, but thats expected.

it isnt the rocker gasket as i changed that and its all good.

i havnt checked the bottom of the flywheel housing for a primary seal oil leak, as i keep forgetting whenever i am at the car.

my oil level has gone from max to min in 2-3 days, with only about 10 miles driving.


i have a good reliable, non leaking engine in my 'doner' car at home, so with the help of some club members i am looking at swapping them striaght over, but it will be in a few weeks time.

my questions are, what do you think the main leak could be?
and
do the anti oil leak additives work? at least temporarily? to help untill i can swap the engines???


any help is appreciated

many thanks

adam

[jwb_moto]

Mine has a similar leak but isnt xhucking it over the fanblade. Im suspecting the timing cover gasket has met its maker.

If its coming from the top it can only be either the head gasket or timing cover gasket. if its coming from the bottom it could be the timing cover gasket, speedo drive output etc.

Give that side of the engine a degrease/pressure wash and then take it for a short run and it should give you the gist of where its coming from.

[matt615]

I tried an addiitve in my Mini once to try and stop a leak. It didn't cure the leak, and the only effect was that horrible noises started coming from the gearbox! So then I had to immediataly change the oil before any damage was done to my gearbox.

The only way to cure leaks is to change the seals or gaskets that are causing the leak. I'd just put up with it until you get around to fitting the new engine.

[tommy13]

Your oil leak is certainly excessive at 1/2 litre in 10 miles, if you washed the engine off I'm sure you should be able to see it coming out. The oil feed to the rockers is in the rear corner of the head near the area you describe, so it my be head gasket failure at that point. Additives would not cure such a leak, they do work but mainly on oil seals, by softening the rubber part of the seal. The inbuilt spring can then bring the lips of the seal into better contact with the relevant shaft.

[tog77]

don't use oil leak addatives..they do not work..put the money to fixing the leaks properly...

tog 77...(The Old Git 77)

[bcjames]

Mine is losing a fair bit of oil from the timing cover. Made a hell of a mess down that side of the engine bay! Anyway, if you run your hand along the bottom of the timing cover, you'll know if its coming from there as the oil will be wet and fresh(ish), rather than that horrid thick oil/roadcrap mix on the rest!

[stardude]

i will be away next week, but when i get back i will try and give the engine a good degrease and try and work out where it is coming from.

bare in mind the 1/2 a liter was from standing 3 days and driving 10 miles, not just the driving.

cheers guys

adam

[nicksuth]

Drop Guessworks a PM, he has some leak detection dye that you put in the oil and you can see where it's coming from under ultraviolet light >>>>>>>>>>> http://www.theminifo...x...=105084&hl=

[stardude]

Drop Guessworks a PM, he has some leak detection dye that you put in the oil and you can see where it's coming from under ultraviolet light >>>>>>>>>>> http://www.theminifo...x...=105084&hl=

cheers for that,

i had a look at that earlier but then realised with my oil leak, it gets onto the fan and gets thrown all over the engine, radiator and bonnet very quickly after running the engine

i may give it a go though once i have managed to degrease my engine if it is indeed possible

[stardude]

i just washed my engine yesterday, with a £2.50 can of carb cleaner tis great stuff

will soon be able to see where the leaks are coming from.

i am pretty sure the timing cover is leaking, and the primary seal, as there is oil coming out of the clutch cover, although i have not experienced any clutch slippage.

reading other threads, i reckon this is due to worn piston rings, as my emissions are high and the engine has 100,000 miles on the clock. from what i have read this causes oil to be pushed and around through the seal.

any thoughts on that?

adam

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

sounds like the usual tired a series engine id just keep and eye on the oil level till u rebuild it