C5 Oil Leak?

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 16 Jun 2008, 09:04

Hello, should I be worried about oil that appears to be leaking from the bottom of the intercooler? I think its an intercooler. Small radiator thing. Pipe goes into top of it from top of engine.
Its got oil around the bottom of the radiator and thats flowed onto the bit below.

Have had someone revving it while I looked and can't see anything more coming out.
Whenever I have it serviced, its always overfilled with oil maybe this is where it leaks out?

Oil is still high on the dipstick.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 16 Jun 2008, 10:37

On TDs it's pretty normal to have a little oil in the intercooler as oil vapour (mist) passed into the inlet tract from the crankcase breather condenses there. I'd expect the HDi to be no different.

Over time, the hoses connecting to the intercooler weep a little oil due to a bit of settling and a need to just nip up of their jubilee clips.

It'll be worth inspecting all hose connections to the intercooler and looking to see if any are wet. There may be a small hose going to a MAP sensor that may have perished and is weeping a little of the condensed oil. It'll also be worth giving the intercooler a quick pressure check just to ensure it is not itself leaking although if it were, I would have expected a noticeably small performance reduction.

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 16 Jun 2008, 13:56

Thanks Jim

I've had a look and pipes seem ok. It looks like is sprayed, and a friend said the oil feels like its drying so may have been a while ago. It was serviced a few months back and last year the turbo was looked at and pressure checked in various places so perhaps one of those two caused it.
Will keep an eye on oil level.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 16 Jun 2008, 14:11

Why not look into having the engine steam-cleaned, after which it should be a simple matter to identify the source of the leak.

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 16 Jun 2008, 14:41

myglaren wrote:Why not look into having the engine steam-cleaned, after which it should be a simple matter to identify the source of the leak.

Its a modern citroen and would probably melt

IT is a good point, but I think I shall leave it and just keep checking the oil. I think maybe once it gets to 100 000 miles I will replace it. Too many things to go wrong and the items it needs for a 100 000 miles would be expensive.
Bit disapointed the new C5 estate has less load space.

axford · Unread post by **axford** » 05 Oct 2008, 12:36

Hi,justdone mine.Take it off,clean it with white spirit (not getting much inside)and old dish washing brush.submerge bottom half in bath of water and block one end up with your hand and the other with your face and blow hard.Get your wife to watch for bubbles and mark/remember.Dry completely and seal area with fix leak.£4.99 ebay.Put back on and feel chuffed.Chris.