Tigger Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 What I thought might be a one-off animal looks as though it could be rather more serious. The symptoms....K-series, belll housing dry sump - Oil escaping from exhaust manifold side. Only while engine is running. Oil runs down the side of the block washing down the alternator bracket and dripping from joint between engine and gearbox. It doesn't appear to be a leaking can seal. There also seems to be oil spray on exhaust headers. It doesn't look like the cam cover seal either. There is no oil/ water contamination So the question is, what is the most likely suspect?Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Looking at the above, I would have thought it would be unlikely to be HGF if it's leaking a lot of oil along the side of the block. Other than at the ends, any escaping oil will be straight into water and not to the outside of the block. I'm not familiar with the plumbing for a dry sump but is it possible you have a leak in an external oil pipe somewhere that is spraying oil onto the side of the block?PS: I notice you have changed the title so it doesn't mention HGF any more. I was responding to the original title! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Ah! Well spotted that I changed the title...... As I was typing I realise a HGF would have been unlikely as oil and water would need to mix if there was a failure between the oil ways and the gasket. I was hoping that I was quick enough in changing the title that no-one would spot it... Clearly not. It's good to know that you have the same reasoning as me.Without it being a cam seal or cam cover seal failure I'm struggling to think what else on that side if the engine it could be.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Slotter Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 When you say 'running' do you mean it happens regardless of the temperature and loading of the engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 How much is actually leaking? Can you post up some pictures, it might give us a clue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titanium7 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 On the off chance, have you changed the oil recently?Had this once when doing an oil change and had spilt some. It sits on the ledges on the engine side and drips down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Paul Richards Posted April 12, 2015 Area Representative Share Posted April 12, 2015 I suspect camshaft oil seal. Why have you discounted this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbutnotslow Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 You need as a fiest step to degrease the engine. You havent a hope of identifying the source until you have done this.So more info pleaseWhich K?Does it have a 1/ 2 sized appolo tank?Oil Cooler?On the exhaust side there are only a few external oil pipe connections so agree photos are needed AFTER the wash down. and as you run the engine up. the more the merrier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks for the replies, you must all be back from nice days out. :)live de-greased and it does seam as though it's coming from the dizzy cap end. There appears to be oil on the bell housing both sides of the oil filler cap. Cam shaft seal on exact side seams ok but haven't popped off the dizzy cap yet.The dry sump is a bell housing without Apollo tank, when looking at the top of he bell housing there is a angle union which goes into the top (between the cap and the dizzy in the photo) this can rotate. Is this normal or shouldn't be tight?i've put the car to bed for thenightso will investigate further tomorrow in daylight.thanks for all the replies.tim1.8 K with DizzyNo Apollo tankLeaks only when runningNo oil cooler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PROBE2 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hi, the union is the dry sump pump to belltank feed and has a washer and should be tight, oil moves around in belltank on cornering so could be source of leak, tighten up and go again, angle of engine could see oil flow towards engine block, cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Interesting that the union should be tight. It's rather too early (4:00am) in the morning to fire the car up to see if it's the source of the leak, however oil is coming out when at idle.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hot thin oil at 60psi is going to make a mess from any loose union !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hi SM25T, That is looking to be increasingly the most likely suspect. The union is the one which goes from the top of the dry sump to the catch tank and had become rather loose. As it needs to align with the dirction hose, and there is no locking nut as such, can I use plumbers' PTFE tape ore should I get some suitable fibre washer?On other fronts, I popped off the Dizzy and found that there was a bit of oil around the cam shaft seal but it didn't look as though it had popped out, I gave it a tap with a large socket never-the-less.My thoughts also started to consider the issue of pressure. This oil leak happened after my last service where the old oil catch tank was replaced with a new one. In the old tank the hoses were pretty loose in their holes but now in the new tank they're considerably tighter. Could it be that this caused some additional pressure in the system, or doesn't it work like that?Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 You'll either have a cone end fitting where a taper male seats in an angled female ... which needs no seal ... but faces must be clean and scratch free . . Or a compression fitting that needs an olive outside the pipe to get compressed by the nut ... or if a flat ring round the pipe under the nut ... then a sealing washer is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Catch tank is just catching fumes or excess oil at atmospheric pressure .... not under pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PROBE2 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Tim, is it not the union to belltank rather than union to pipe to pump that is loose? mine was loose here rather than union to pipe. has a 12 inch alluminium washer from memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 A photo of the offending fitting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bio Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Pressure could be a factor...Is the catch tank made from plastic and could you add an additional breather pipe to vent to the underside of the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Catch tank is plastic, a pressure release vent would be easily achievable....... = 'hole' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 OK, having had a good chance to investigate further I've tracked down the cause of the leak......Crank shaft oil seal So engine out, split the gearbox and replace a cheapie seal...... or take it to a man.On that note, I've been toying with the idea of stripping the car and re-building it and since the engine has to come out it seems an appropriate time to look at the 'opportunity' more seriously! Always a silver lining (albeit with a lighter wallet!)Thanks for the advice and thoughts.Now......, time to browse the accessories catalogues and consider what colour to paint it...... Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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