Oil leak - any common problems with DJ engines?

Post by **veedweeb** » 14 Dec 2006, 16:01

My Caravelle has just developed a rather sudden oil leak - oil is dripping out of the engine onto the exhaust and causing lots of smoke.

I was on the motorway at the time doing about 70mph. I pulled over and there don't appear to be any nasty noises, and the oil light and buzzer of doom didn't come on.

What do I need to be looking at? The left hand side of the engine (viewed from the back of the bus) is covered in oil.

Is it likely to be just a rocker cover gasket or could it be something much more serious

It's had to be recovered on a breakdown truck and brought home...

Post by **toomanytoys** » 14 Dec 2006, 16:21

A little more specific would be good... left hand side of the engine... around the head? under the engine? could just be the rocker gasket, easy and cheap to fix (same as a beetle gskt) could even be the rocker cover itself, these do rot away... easy and cheap to fix too, same as a beetle one..
under the engine (behind the cover) Pushrod seals/tubes are another story, you cant replace the tubes/seals without removing the head... unless you are lucky enough to find some colapsible ones... not the same as beetle ones I am afraid...

Post by **veedweeb** » 14 Dec 2006, 16:27

I'm afraid I can't give any more details at the moment - I'll have to have a dig around tomorrow. It was raining when it happened and I had to get home, and get my other car out and go to a meeting.

I was just hoping someone would say "oh, it's the rocker gasket - they go all the time"

Clutching at straws, probably

Post by **veedweeb** » 14 Dec 2006, 16:30

Actually, just reading your reply again:

The top of the engine was wet with oil - if the pushrods are underneath like a Beetle engine, I suppose I can rule that out as being the source.

Post by **SteveW** » 14 Dec 2006, 17:13

I have had this with my DJ. I have now learnt to not trust the dipstick and change the oil every 2-3K with 4.5L of oil and a new filter. I was over filling by a small amount and the oil would get blown out at high speed. No leaks at all now even at 90 on a race track

The oil level on MY dipstick is at the lowest mark when newly filled with the correct amount of oil. But what ever you do check the level when you are certain you have the correct amount of oil in the engine. DO NOT USE MINE AS GOSPAL check yours.

Post by **veedweeb** » 14 Dec 2006, 17:48

Ooh! That's encouraging, Steve - a small glimmer of hope for me to cling to!!

I bought this as a replacement for my Merc - it's meant to be my daily. I haven't sold the Merc yet though.

I've swapped the insurance back onto the Merc and I'm using that now. I went out this afternoon and a bloody great big piece of metal flew up at me on the motorway and has smashed the windscreen. It's not been a good day, really

Post by **veedweeb** » 14 Dec 2006, 18:11

Well, the good news is that there's no oil in the coolant...

This is the side of the engine that the oil was dripping from...

And it looks to have come from the tower next to the alternator...

But look at the breather - the one that runs from the tower and goes underneath the idle stab. valve. It's squashed flat. Could this have caused it?

I'll do a compression test tomorrow, but I'm kinda pinning my hopes on it being the squashed breather that's allowed pressure to build up and finally blow oil out of the tower.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 14 Dec 2006, 19:31

There is an O ring seal uncer the plastic tower.. but these are crap in any case.. I made up a gasket from some resonable thickness gasket paper and it hasnt leaked yet.. yes, check the breather hose isnt blocked too.. and that the tower isnt cracked! odd spray pattern!!
Also over filling with oil will not be good.. half way between min and max id fine.. 1 of mine always "uses" the first half if topped right to max and then sits at half for ages..

On the left... thats an auto box dipstick.. (thats the only place on top that can leak oil from over there) maybe the level is too high and its pressurised the box and spat some out? normal way to check an auto box is to drive it so its at normal temp then sit on a flat area for 1 or 2 minutes at idle and then check the level, dont know if this is correct for a t25 auto box though...

Post by **veedweeb** » 14 Dec 2006, 20:23

The autobox is a little bit hesitant in selecting reverse... the other day I put some Wynns ATF conditioner stuff in it... I'd forgotten about that.

It's possible (probable, even) that it was ATF and not oil that was leaking out.

The leak is located underneath the autobox dipstick. Hmmm....

Thanks for the replies... I've cancelled my surveys for tomorrow so I'll try and get to the bottom of it then. Hope it doesn't rain!

I'd unsquashed that breather before I took the picture. It really was flat as a pancake

Post by **ermie571** » 14 Dec 2006, 21:23

Hi Veedweed,

we had exactly the same problem with oil....and it was a pinched breather tube - made it a bit longer so it could bedn round nice and easy, and voila, the oil stayed in the engine!!!

But only after we had replaced dip stick, dipstick tube, seals and mucho oil!

Hope that's all it is,

Emma

Post by **veedweeb** » 15 Dec 2006, 12:13

Thanks everyone for the replies.

It seems there have been 2 separate issues going on here...

The squashed breather has resulted in a sprayed of a fine mist of engine oil onto the alternator and belts. Not a problem to replace the breather, and new belts are pennies. So that's good

The other problem appears to be that it wasn't engine oil that escaped, but ATF. As mentioned above, an overfilled gearbox can pressurise itself so that the ATF blows out of the dipstick tube. The top of the engine - directly beneath the gearbox dipstick was soaked in oil and it was that that was dripping onto the exhaust. So, assuming there's nothing wrong with the autobox (which there didn't seem to be) that's all good too

While I was there, I took the opportunity to replace the spark plugs (I did the leads and everything else last week). I also cleaned the very dirty earth connections in the engine bay. The engine starts, idles and runs incredibly smoothly and quietly. I'm convinced there's nothing untoward there

However... the water pumps noisy and needs replacing. Ho hum

Post by **SteveW** » 15 Dec 2006, 12:21

Oh what a loverly job you have got now.

I changed mine earlier in the year. Skined knuckles and a right pain in the .... well hands

The bottom pipe that runs behind the pully was the worst bit to get out of the way. Took about 3 hours to change, took about 3 min when the engine was out though. Good luck and I am glad the oil problem is now sorted.

Post by **veedweeb** » 01 Jan 2007, 19:44

Just thought I'd bring this thread to a close - I replaced the water pump, belts, temp sender, fuel filter and ATF over the weekend.

To do all that took about half a day, and that was in the pouring rain too...

The water pump was no problem really. It was a bit fiddly and I had to cut one the bolts off for the lower water pipe with my dremel because it was rounded off, but other than that it all went well.

The old ATF was like treacle when it came out - it should be sparkly and clean, and bright red.

Anyway, it starts and runs nice and quietly now, with no knocking from the pump or squealing from the belts.

I used the guide from the Brickyard site to bleed the cooling system and that was much easier than I expected.

Makes a nice change from trying to do anything to my Merc. I was quoted £94 to change (all 12) sparkplugs on that! I told the bloke I'd do it myself and he said "You can try..."