Where's the oil coming from?

[0x00fj]

Before you say "oil return tubes" -- yes, that's also likely. But I also see oil higher up, so I'm going to list what I've seen:

• Lowest point of the lower rocker covers. I did remove the left-side one for inspection at one point, but not the right-side one.
• On the "point" on the exhaust (lower) side of the cylinder head. According to gs-gsa-ig.de, that's from the oil return tubes. According to GSAmiService, that could be either the oil return tubes or the valve covers, but more likely the oil return tubes. This spot and the previous spot are hard to see without an inspection mirror, small camera, or getting under the car and looking through a tiny slot.
• On the lower surface of the distributor tower, and the lower surface of the fuel pump tower. The parts book and procedures show only a paper gasket at that end of the camshaft. Is there a seal under the distributor that can go bad? What about at the fuel-pump side of the engine?
• On top of the right-side intake manifold and right-side top valve cover. This could be drips from the air filter (I have the early grey box with the filter you have to oil). The exhaust crossover on this side seems to have been coated with oil somehow -- see orange arrow in image.

The largest "pool" of oil in the engine bay is on the right subframe, near where the height corrector is -- circled in green in the image. That's above the lowest point in the engine bay, and notably above the bottom of the cylinder head, so I'm not sure how oil winds up there. Is it possible it's being blown back there from somewhere else?

[Stonehopper]

Add to the list: The oil cooler and associated connections (pipes here in red), and the oil pressure switch.

[0x00fj]

The oil pressure switch is dry, but I admit I can't see under the oil cooler. It looked clean enough after I pulled the fan shroud a few months ago:

I'd expect runoff from there to collect under the drain pan, rather than behind the heads, but maybe it's sliding off of something.

It seems I can replace the seals under the oil cooler before removing the entire engine:

https://www.gsamiservice.fr/blog/index. ... ur-d-huile

Any gotchas I should be aware of while doing that?

[Stonehopper]

Only care and cleanliness - and fit the prehensile fingers when beginning all work . . . .
It's a lovely compact unit, but not for maintenance when IN the car!

Are you certain the oil is engine oil, and not LHM? The messiest part of my car is from the junctions of the return pipes affixed to the inside of the right hand wheel arch. Devils to get at.

That's a good link.

[0x00fj]

Absolutely certain it's oil, as the fluid is brown and not green. I think I also have a small LHM leak, but it's from either the suction line or the pump gaiter (I see small cracks in both).

I called the dealership that owned it 3 owners back, who suggested it might be from the front seal. The belts look clean so I don't think that's likely.

Based on the pattern of the grime I currently suspect the seals on the rocker shaft. Can those be replaced without removing the shafts from the head?

[Stonehopper]

From memory, I think they can. Just need the required seal puller and ease it out. It's been many years since I 'spannered' the engine. Currently 'sleeping'.

[0x00fj]

Engine is out, and apart. I discovered the seals had been changed in 2010, some 50000km ago, which doesn't seem that long. Most of them are still soft.

No drips from the oil cooler. The two main leaks I've found were the distributor camshaft seal and the lower valve covers -- the gaskets had come unstuck near the bottom.

[Stonehopper]

Well done. Good chance to attend to all and sundry that cannot easily be accessed when installed.