TD5 Oil Lake (Not a Spelling Mistake!)

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Tom591

Member
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39
Location
Portugal
My 2004 TD5 has quite a major oil leak, and it is getting progressively worse.

It now leaves a small lake under the car after it is parked.

I thought it was the sump gasket, but I have found a pool of oil on the small shelf at the back of the engine. I have attached a picture of the location.

This is above the sump gasket, so I assume it can't be that.

It's not from the rocker cover gasket, or either of the camshaft seals on the front and back.

Quite a lot of the oil ends up on the track rods (it is LHD, if that helps).

Any ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

694_engine_stripped.jpg
 
Turbo, exhaust downpipe flexi, mine split and spewed a load of shìte out, maybe exhaust manifold if you're sure it's not the rocker cover. Either of the oil filters?
 
Thanks 1988smithy. But would those problems lead to an oil puddle?

It's definitely engine oil, I have to top it up quite a bit if the car has been on a run.
 
I had similar and it was the 'normal' oil filter not tight enough, not by much maybe less than an eighth of turn. give the area a clean then tweak the filter up.
 
Thanks 1988smithy. But would those problems lead to an oil puddle?

It's definitely engine oil, I have to top it up quite a bit if the car has been on a run.

Prob not, just thinking what's that side really. Oil filters and housings worth a closer look
 
I'm gutted for you and ecstatic as well because i'm experiencing the same issue with my 05 110, haven't had chance to delve deep into this.
Rocker and sump gaskets have both been changed and the side of the engine block is moist.

It's going to be a time consuming job this one but i believe its around the centrifugal area where the oil is coming from (not the housing itself).
 
It's going to be a time consuming job this one but i believe its around the centrifugal area where the oil is coming from (not the housing itself).
There is a steel tube/pipe from the bottom of the centrifugal filter housing to the sump which is sealed at each end with an 'O' ring IIRC. And an 'O' ring from the housing to the block.
 
Found the culprit!

Thanks for all your help.

It was a hairline crack in the oil filter housing (LPY100160). Next to the right-hand bolt.

Can't think what caused it. I took it off when I was doing the exhaust gasket, and may have damaged it.

Cheers.
 
Looks like I bought that fancy torque wrench for nothing!

Depends what you torque it up to :p might be just been fatigued from previous filter changes, then if you've clattered it getting to the exhaust gasket...good that you've found it though and nice 1 for updating thread :)
 
Found the culprit!

Thanks for all your help.

It was a hairline crack in the oil filter housing (LPY100160). Next to the right-hand bolt.

Can't think what caused it. I took it off when I was doing the exhaust gasket, and may have damaged it.

Cheers.
I know this is a very old thread, but I’ve been experiencing the exact same problem - a crack around the RH bolt of the oil filter housing, only I’ve now gone through a total of 3 filter housings in a just over a week (and lost a lot of oil). Only occurred after removing and refitting the original. Made very sure it wasn’t over torqued.

On the slim chance you see this, I’m wondering if you ever had any more problems, or if a replacement fixed it? I’ve been using used parts so maybe they are prone to breaking when they’re old and get fiddled with.
 
I had this issue with my oil filter housing on my old Td5. The bolts are steel and the housing is aluminium, which is easy to strip the threads if the bolts are over tightened. I had the housing helicoiled which solved the problem.
 
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