Oil queries

[onegirlandacampervan]

Hi!

I've got a 1.9 TD engine that seems to be losing oil...there's none on the driveway underneath it (apart from the odd drip) but it needs topping up quite regularly it seems. I think I've put almost a litre in it after doing about 350 miles. Is that normal?

Also, although the oil light stays off for the most part, it flashes when I'm approaching junctions and depressing the clutch, but goes off again when I'm up off the clutch and accelerating. I went to a festival recently and had to queue to get in and out. It was flashing while I had the clutch depressed in the queue on the way in, but it didn't do it on the way out (I had just topped up the oil before we left our camping site to join the queue), but it WAS doing it again by the time we got near home.

...and...if the dipstick shows that the oil is just below the minimum, how much oil can I put in without over filling it?

Thanks for any advice you can give!

[82JEW75]

Could be the turbo oil seal, if oil's disappearing without a trace. Oil that leaks into the turbo gets sucked into the engine and burned as fuel, so there won't be any drips.

Best get it checked out, firstly if the turbo seal ever lets go completely, your engine gets force-fed its own oil, revs out of control and goes bang. Secondly, I think there is an issue with the orientation of the turbo on these conversions, needs altering in order to allow oil to drain correctly?

Hope someone else will reply, I know very little of diesel T25s and even less of engine conversions, the comments above apply to turbo diesels in general though.

[ghost123uk]

Again, I do not know a great deal about Diesel T25's but I do know that a litre every 350 miles is far from normal.

As John says above, get it checked by someone who REALLY knows these engines (NOT a local garage that just SAY they know them) because as mentioned above, a Diesel engine can rev out of control if enough oil gets into the inlet manifold. (you then have to try and stall it very quickly before it self destructs)

While you are in this T25 competent garage (ask on here for your nearest) get them to do a simple (and cheap) oil pressure test as your oil light coming on at low revs when hot could indicate a bigger problem with crank bearings or oil pump. Fingers crossed for you that it is summat simpler though, like a failing oil pressure sensor (clutches at straws).

[1664]

While you are in this T25 competent garage (ask on here for your nearest)

Put your location in your profile - there may be someone close by who can help or at least recommend a mechanic/garage.

[onegirlandacampervan]

Not far from you, 1665...I'm in Redditch

[ghost123uk]

Not far from you, 1665...I'm in Redditch

1665 Eh, your going up in the world Bren

Don't worry Ms "onegirlandacampervan" I know you are now thinking "DOH" (A la Homer Simpson)

Ah Redditch, the home of Glynwood VW insurance and "Behind the green door"

[onegirlandacampervan]

Not far from you, 1665...I'm in Redditch

1665 Eh, your going up in the world Bren

Don't worry Ms "onegirlandacampervan" I know you are now thinking "DOH" (A la Homer Simpson)

Ah Redditch, the home of Glynwood VW insurance and "Behind the green door"

Ha ha ha, yes...doh indeed. I'd like to say my finger slipped and hit the 5 by mistake, but no, I am just stupid

I'm raaather worried about my engine now. Have a trip to France planned at the end of the week and not got much time to get things looked at/fixed in between now and then. Hopefully if it IS the turbo oil seal (and from whats been said it does sound like a likely contender) it won't chose to go pop whilst I'm on the continent :-/

Thank you all for your help (and for pointing out my idiocy :p lol)

[ghost123uk]

I'm raaather worried about my engine now. Have a trip to France planned at the end of the week and not got much time to get things looked at/fixed in between now and then.

What breakdown cover will you be using for the France trip ? (have you read the recent thread on the subject ?)

So many of seem to be going to France in August, including us = see you there, bound to...

[onegirlandacampervan]

What breakdown cover will you be using for the France trip ? (have you read the recent thread on the subject ?)

So many of seem to be going to France in August, including us = see you there, bound to...

I've gotten cover from 2gether insurance. It brings me back to the UK should the worst happen! I'm suddenly aware that I've forgotten to get insurance for myself though. Oh. Dear.

On the oil issue, I've noticed that the oil filter casing is, well, quite oily. It seems to be on as tight as it'll go but I'm wondering if it could be expelling oil when the engine is running? I'm hoping it's this and NOT the turbo oil seal...

I'm suddenly feeling very sick about my trip! I half planned everything a couple of months ago and it all seemed possible and doable and now all of a sudden it's in two days and I have forgotten too many things!

I just read your checklist for france (thank you!! very useful)

[ghost123uk]

As long as your breakdown cover is "watertight" and you have all the legalities covered, GB plates, headlight deflectors etc (just found out you need to take the paper bit of your driving licence ) you have little to worry about

France is only a small place bound to see you there

[onegirlandacampervan]

I (VERY LUCKILY) put my hands on the paper counterpart as I was clearing out the massive piles of crap that I've accumulated in the past 10 years. Organising your life is not just good for the soul...it's good for the unorganised!!

I don't think the breakdown is water tight (:-() but I'm hoping that the repatriation cost will be less than my savings!...no, actually, I take that back! I'M HOPING I DON'T BREAK DOWN!!! ha ha

I'll look out for you there...I'll be the one brewing tea on the side of the road and looking panicked! ha ha

Have a wonderful time!

[ghost123uk]

Hey there, I see you are not a full 80-90 "member" yet, there is a list in "members only" of folks in the UK and some in Europe (including France) that have volunteered to help out in any way they can if a member needs assistance. You should get yourself a full membership and access to that list (along with other benefits such as discount at some suppliers ( and Glynwoods insurance ) etc Where abouts in France is your destination ? and when roughly are you planning to be there ?

[onegirlandacampervan]

Oh! Thank you! I didn't realise I hadn't made the next steps after joining the forum! I'll do it now

We're heading to Brittany (Portsmouth - Caen) and going to a wedding in Tremblay, then taking a drive up to stay for a night in Versailles (Huttopia!!), then a couple of nights in Maisons-Laffitte so we can explore Paris before taking a slow chug up the coast for a return trip via Calais

We leave tomorrow :-/

I'm fairly sure I'm all set...passing through the garage I bought the old boy from to pick up a hook up cable and some last minute advice.

OH!!!! and!!! Apparently I got mixed up between all the vans I was looking at...Old Red (my van) only has a 1.7 engine and NO TURBO!!!!! So at least I know that can't fail on me now! I swear, I'm an intelligent girl, I just do a very good impression of a bimbling idiot

Thank you so much for all the help and advice you've given me! This forum is a great place to be!

[shaka1976]

Silly question but is your van getting up to temperature? I ask as I had a problem with my 1.9D using oil but once I fixed the thermostat (o ring missing) it fixed the problem.

[onegirlandacampervan]

Silly question but is your van getting up to temperature? I ask as I had a problem with my 1.9D using oil but once I fixed the thermostat (o ring missing) it fixed the problem.

It's reaching halfway on the thermometer...infact, the light only starts flashing once the engine is warmed up (when the clutch is depressed/I'm at low revs/stopped with the engine running)