Xantia turbo oil leak

Post by **Duracell** » 11 Feb 2008, 18:00

While preparing to remove the gearbox for a clutch change on my daughters 95 1.9TD I have found the back of the engine covered in oil - it appears to be from the turbo (not the feed and return lines) and there is also oil in the inlet pipework - the oil loss has not been noticable (on the floor or sump level) and the engine has been running perfectly.

Do I need to worry about this yet or is it a sign of imminent disaster?

Any views appreciated.

Richard

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Feb 2008, 20:05

Most likely cause of oil down the back of the block is that the headgasket is leaking. They all do that sooner or later. Provided it's not too bad, I'd just ignore it - it stops the subframe rusting away!

Post by **Duracell** » 11 Feb 2008, 20:30

Thanks for the suggestion but its definitly not the head gasket - I'm certain the turbo is the souce but having never dealt with one before have no idea how serious it is.

Richard

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 11 Feb 2008, 21:17

It isn't gearbox oil leaking past the driveshaft seals and being flung off up the engine at speed?

If so I'd expect a thin strip of oil in a straight line - ending with the driveshaft/diff

Post by **CitroJim** » 12 Feb 2008, 08:28

Turbos do get oily from small leaks on the inlet ducting. The inlet tract sucks fumes via the crankcase breather system and as a result, there is a lot of condensed oil running around the inlet tract. Because if its condensed nature, the oil is thin and will find its way out of the tiniest openings and after 12 years or so, there are plenty around the turbo and it's ducting; the oil fumes are very penetrating. If not massive, the leaks are nothing to worry about. All my older ones have had (and have) oily turbos for just this reason.

You might try checking all the joints around the inlet trunking but you'll likely not make much improvement

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 12 Feb 2008, 09:42

Hi, mine is the same.. the turbo is covered as is engine block, saying that, it's not a huge quantity (looks worse than it is)... first thing I will do is pay someone to jet wash the back of engine so I can see more clearly..Think mine will be HG.. changed rocker gasket last week..

if your doing clutch.. maybe take whole lump out for a look / repair? although a fair bit more work..

good luck
John

Post by **CitroJim** » 12 Feb 2008, 10:07

I wondered about the HG and looked at a head. It is very unlikely that the head gasket would be responsible for oil leaks at the rear as there are no oil galleries at the back of the head in contact with the head gasket. The main gallery is high up on the back of the head with drillings blanked with staked balls. It is conceivable, although unlikely, these could leak.

The oil galleries in contact with the gasket are on the sides of the head. These do sometimes weep a little as can be seen from oil around the vacuum pump but never does it seem serious.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 12 Feb 2008, 10:25

hmm thanks Jim, I had my doubts too..

all comes back to same thing, clean it up to make a judgement....

Post by **RichardW** » 12 Feb 2008, 11:10

When I took the head off my BX TD the back of the block and everything down there was covered in oil. The head on the other hand was bone dry - it can only have been coming from the head gasket

If you look up the back of the engine, you will probably see the same - block all oil, head dry. It may be that the oil leaks out at the front / side where the feed gallery is, then runs around the edge of the HG as the block is leaning back.

If you have a bad leak from the feed gallery, it pukes copious amounts of oil out behind the injection pump. That was the end of my first Xantia TD

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 12 Feb 2008, 15:29

It is my experience that many (most?) XUDs will eventually leak from the HG oil gallery feed to the camshaft (just behing the inj pump). The 'O' ring in the gasket just rots out, and the leak can become extremely serious. I changed both my XUD head joint oil leaks: one (205D) at only 100k, the other at 250k miles.

In neither case did the valves need lapping in, or even adjusting, although I did the jobs on the 250k Xantia, as well as skim the head slightly.

This car still 'petes le feu' (goes like a bomb), and uses hardly any oil at all (mostly slight leaks).

If you have a bad leak from the feed gallery, it pukes copious amounts of oil out behind the injection pump. That was the end of my first Xantia TD Rolling Eyes
_________________
Richard W
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