2005 TD5 cylinder Head oil leak

Hi, looking for a bit of advice. I have a 2005 110 with a TD5 engine. it appears to be weeping oil from between the top and bottom of the cylinder head. it is definitely not coming from the rocker cover. it's on the left of the engine, nice and dry between the rocker cover and the join and wet below. it's not a big leak but I would like to get it sorted. this is my first diesel Landy, before I just had V8s so used to leaks. any Constructive advice welcome.
Marcus

Hi you want to check you’re fuel pressure regulator for starters, this can appear as oil at first glance and is prone to leaking... Good luck and god bless

/\ seconded.

Thanks, I will look at this at the weekend. being usually a petrol person I didn't think of fuel.

When the regulator fails it often leaks out of the vent hole and runs down the engine, I fitted a bosch one which has a small pipe on the vent, that way if it leaks it wont run down the engine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fuel-Pre...rentrq:fcca22d716d0a48abe4db284fff87620|iid%3

Mine has also leaked from the pipe connection which have small o rings on them.

Hmmm! looked during lunch at TD5 pressure regulator and it's nowhere near the leak. it's as dry as a bone. the leak is on the LEFT hand side of the engine at the top of the engine. difficult to get a picture but I have attached an image that shows where it is wet with oil and it is dry above it ( on the rocker gasket) any suggestions about this side of the engine?

MarcusWilky said:

Hmmm! looked during lunch at TD5 pressure regulator and it's nowhere near the leak. it's as dry as a bone. the leak is on the LEFT hand side of the engine at the top of the engine. difficult to get a picture but I have attached an image that shows where it is wet with oil and it is dry above it ( on the rocker gasket) any suggestions about this side of the engine?

Click to expand...

That looks like it could be from the joint between the cylinder head and the frame which sits on there which is bored through for the camshaft to run in. The rocker cover sits on top of that.
Look here

https://www.lrworkshop.com/diagrams/land-rover-defender-engine/td5/cylinder-head_53207

So on the RIGHT hand side of the engine as you look in the engine bay.

Interceptorxj said:

So on the RIGHT hand side of the engine as you look in the engine bay.

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Yes. the nearside of the vehicle.
Left because the front is always the front no matter which way you look at the vehicle.

raywin said:

That looks like it could be from the joint between the cylinder head and the frame which sits on there which is bored through for the camshaft to run in. The rocker cover sits on top of that.

Look here

https://www.lrworkshop.com/diagrams/land-rover-defender-engine/td5/cylinder-head_53207

Click to expand...

that's what I thought. is there a simple fix for this or is it a new cylinder head. any suggestions on repair please.

Isn’t the part in question the cam carrier? Above the exhaust manifold?

MarcusWilky said:

that's what I thought. is there a simple fix for this or is it a new cylinder head. any suggestions on repair please.

Click to expand...

It's not quite a simple fix but good news is shouldn't need a new cylinder head..
Unfortunately the head bolts go through the cam carrier so you will need to lift the head to cure it, you will need a head gasket (get a decent one) and new head bolts + the hylomar sealant which is used between the faces, not a small job but quite doable.
First check that you are 100% sure that this is the source of the leak, it's a lot of trouble to do it and find that's not it.
I would clean the whole area with brake cleaner then runn it and check where it's coming from.

Discodevon said:

Isn’t the part in question the cam carrier? Above the exhaust manifold?

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That's what I think, it worried me when I did mine,i used locktite sealant for face to face joints, need to be sure it seals, but need to be careful you dont block the oil way which feeds the cam followers.

Thanks Raywin, I have cleaned it off a couple of times and I am sure its coming from there. i will get the parts on order and put a weekend aside to do the job. been looking at a few vids on how to do this.
Thanks, Marcus

While the heads off you may as well fit new (Beru) glow plugs and change the injector seals and washers

I would reccomend that you get an elring gasket and the same bolts I used from LR direct, put a little grease between the bolt head and the washer to smooth the tightening action maybe take a look here learn from my mistakes.

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/at-last-the-big-td5-job.349420/

And once again be 100% sure that's the source of the leak before jumping in.

Discodevon said:

While the heads off you may as well fit new (Beru) glow plugs and change the injector seals and washers

Click to expand...

Good idea, I'll get them on the order

If it's only a tiny bit, I'd be wondering whether it was worth doing, given that everything else is OK. If you have to put another litre of oil in every week it would be worth it, I suppose. Whilst in theory it's possible for the oil to get out between the two parts of the cylinder head there are a lot of other opportunities for oil to escape that are more likely. The oil may have dried off from higher up where it comes out, and only look wet where it tends to accumulate, for example. Equally, I've known oil to creep upwards as well as downwards, so it might be worth looking at where the oil filter/oil cooler housing bolts on the side of the engine too.

I was also thinking about the oil cooler housing.