bad oil leak on 200tdi need advice please

I have a defender 110 200tdi that is leaking oil from the top of the engine [cover or head gasket area], now when i start it up there is white smoke, when i first start to drive it with engine cold it is fine, but when the temp guage goes up and the engine gets hot[roughly after 25 minutes or so] and i go to accelerate it is very very sluggish, very low power , if there is a leak in a gasket somewhere will this cause compression loss? a friend thought he saw bubbles coming out of the gasket area. I hope someone can answer my questions please. Is it wise to continue driving the vehicle or am i just loosing oil? any free answers are great education for me as i am a rover newbie too. thanx gang.


jeff b

I'm no mechanic but sounds like the head gasket. The white smoke could be the coolant burning off, which would obviously leave you with little circulation to keep the engine temperature under control.

Mine went not long after I bought it (user error), the power didn't go noticably but the coolant went it huge clouds of white steam from the exhaust when on tick over/low load.
Gave it some beans and the steam would stop but it was too late and the damage was done. The temperature guage soon went full scale and there was nothing in the coolant header tank!

That would be a good place to start, check the coolant level, and see if there is water contamination in the engine oil.

i wouldnt start it again untill you know whats up, dont want this happening....

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zx3qKX_Pno"]YouTube - Runaway Diesel Defender 200 TDI[/nomedia]

Indeed that doesn't look ideal.

Wow - what a ****er!
You'd only be able to sit there and cry (a lot).

as for your engine, we need more info, is the oil milky? if so, coolant is leaking into it through the gasket, if not, gasket is gone somewhere between the outer edge of the gasket and the oil channel. either way sounds like your gonna have to strip the head off. my diagnosis is the engine overheated because the gasket went between a coolant channel and a cylinder, the head has lifted, allowing oil to seep out the side, so now when the engine heats up, its overheating and partially seizing. just my oppinion.... but i wouldnt drive it

well i looks like there was a half moon rubber plug missing at the rear of the head. installed new plug and now no more oil leaking. thanx gang for all the replies though.

jeff beirness

I would watch that Jeff as that plug shouldnt just fall out on its own but may have been forced out by excess crank case pressure.
Plus the plug wouldnt explain the white smoke.
If it does start to run away remove the pipe form the turbo inlet and block the hole not with your hand!
Carry a screwdriver as you wont have long to do it as the video above shows.
No air = no go.


Lynall