Oil Leak around the TD5 cylinder head and EGR Valve

I seem to have developed a bit of oil leak on my 78,000 mile TD5. Some may remember this is the same engine that developed a porous head on the common fuel rail at 65,000 which resulted in my having to install a new Turner Engineering Head with the strengthened fuel rails – and a new turbo...

I noticed that there seems to be a bit of oil staining on the underside of the bonnet and around the EGR and cooler and on the head – I am not convinced it is the head or head gasket – everything else is working fine and I am not losing water.

If oil mist is being thrown around my suspicion was the intercooler hoses – (got a few drops out of the hoses a while back) or turbo feed lines but just want to see if anyone else has any views or opinions?

Had the same problem on mine when I bought it. Oil everywhere but no apparent cause.

Have a good clean up with some parafin and detergent until it is all shiny and new. Make sure you keep the serpentine belt and pulleys clean of grease and oil etc.

Carefully pop out the round composite rocker shaft access cover visible in pic 3. It looks like a 3inch hockey puck on the front of the camshaft carrier. Use a flat bladed screwdriver and ease it forward a little at a time until it pops out.

Thouroughly clean everything up make sure it is dry before using a bead of silicone along the O ringbefore popping it back in. Wipe off any excess silicone and let it cure for a few hours before starting the engine and check for any leaks.

The O ring goes brittle and lets oil mist seep out which is then blown about by the fan and the serpentine belt. All over everywhere.

While you're at it why not remove the EGR and blank off the exhaust manifold. You dont need it.

Cheers - will do as you suggest over the weekend, I know the cover you mean... seems very strage to me but know (like a nose bleed)... a little oil goes a long way.

With regards the EGR I was thinking about that but got confused about the variety of kits avialable (ranging from £150 from TD5 alive) to about £45 on Ebay... any suggestions on the best way to go?

Thanks for your advice.

Quickest and cheapest way is to make your own exhaust blanking plate out of any old piece of steel plate (it dont have to be pretty) you have laying around and slide it between the manifold and the egr pipe so that it closes off the exhaust gasses. Disconnect the wires from the EGR valve. Leave the vacuum hoses alone.

I know somebody who used a baked bean tin to make a blanking plate and two years later it still has not burnt through.

If you want to remove the EGR valve completely from the inlet tract which vastly improves air flow then you will need to buy or make a piece to replace the EGR valve body so that the intercooler hose will fit.

Just to close this out – Thanks for the PM’s and advice. Turns out that the oil (as was suggested was being thrown up by the belts and fan) but originated from the PAS Pump... a slight weep (not enough to see on dipping the reservoir). All sorted now.