VR6 Oil Leak

[Dub Style 0]

Everytime i would switch off the engine the car drops a little oil, upon inspection it seemed to be the sump gasket so i fitted a new sump and a gasket and still its doing the same. its coming from further up and running down the block and makes it look like the sump...........cant really see much but there is a sensor on the front of the engine which it may be from but im not sure.

[Timo. 0]

COming from the front of the engine??

 

If so, my money is on the oil cooler seals!

 

T.

[2cc 0]

yep, that's favourite and was cause of mine, just enough to be annoying but not enough to worry about so left it for ages till I had the front stripped off

[Dub Style 0]

can you only change these with the front stripped off

[Timo. 0]

No, it can be done without taking the front end off.

 

Its fiddly and a bit time comsuming but thats how I did it! Its not hard though!!

 

T.

[dalevr6 0]

ive got the same problem,changed the sump gasket but it still leaks.

mine drips from the bootom of the gearbox near the engine. any ideas?

my mate thinks it could be the crank seal.

[Guest]

There are only a few places you will see leaks on the front of the block: the crank angle sensor, oil cooler, and the oil filter housing. You can also have the pressure switches on the front of the oil filter housing leak as well.

 

Last time I changed these for a buddy what I did was put a jack under the motor and then remove the front lower cross-member to get a bit of clearance. This way I could get my hands up there and work without cutting up my wrists and arms. I would replace the oil cooler seals and the main seal on the oil filter housing. While the oil filter housing is out I would also use some teflon tape on the oil senders to make sure they are not leaking past the threads.

 

Dennis

[Dub Style 0]

rite following this thread, the leak on my car is getting worse now and i think ive traced where its coming from. On the front of the engine where the oil filter is situated just a little to the right there is a silver triangle shaped block with a rubber pipe coming out of it is that the oil pump?, its leaking from that any ideas as to what it is that needs changing?

 

thanks

[Dub Style 0]

:( anyone?

[2cc 0]

Dub Style, that's your oil cooler that is. Undo the 24mm nut on the front to remove it, you'll probably have to remove the coolant pipes as well to get it off properly but be careful of the transfer pipe coupling above it cos its plastic and easily broken if you stress it.

Some pix for ya, in the wrong order I see, must remember to enter them the other way round next time

 

Edit. Oh, now I've posted it the pix are in the right order, but they show other way round in preview. :scratch:

[Dub Style 0]

2cc, Star man!, do you know where this o ring seal is located? as this is whats likly causing the oil leak.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Dubstyle, try cranking the big bolt up a smidge to see if it cures the leak. Mine used to leak there and nipping up the bolt cured it as it was slightly too loose. The seals are quite thick, so the temptation is not not over do them. There's two...one on the cover to sandwich and then sandwich to block. Pence from the dealer....

[Dub Style 0]

Thanks Kev

[turbomagikz 0]

dubstyle ! ive just done mine on my vr6 , it was oil cooler o rings x 2 , one each side of oil cooler ,

one comes off with the 24mm nut you take off & the other is sat in a groove on block ! as the car ages , so do the seals , mine were rock hard wen i took them out , not lie the new seals nice & flexi .

i did mine by droppin the crossmember & did the job in a hour , a doddle & now dripp free

[Dub Style 0]

turbomagikz, did you support the engine when the crossmember was removed?

[turbomagikz 0]

yess(under gearbox) as the engine mount needed to be loosend off

[2cc 0]

Dub Style. Yes you MUST support the engine. Then undo the M8 hex screw on underside of front engine mount. Just remove the two 17mm bumper bolts from each side, then you can undo the one 13mm bolts from each side and the cross-member drops off. I can post pix if you want.

[Dub Style 0]

am gonna attempt it without removing the cross member if its really that much of a struggle ill take it off.

 

Thanks guys

[Dub Style 0]

Update, I've managed to take off the cooler and the two seals they do look pretty worn. Im going to order new ones from the dealer tomorrow. On inspection of the seals i noticed that each of the seal if your looking at it from the side, one side protrudes further out and i dont want to put the seals in wrong way round. I thought that the side of the seal that stands out goes in the cooler side is this right?

[2cc 0]

they're just deformed from being squashed in there. new ones will be nice and round