1.6 HDI oil leak...

[Bill Mac]

Hello, it was suggested I post on the Citroen side of the forum, so I copied the original post over, I hope that is OK!


I have a feeling based on, not much of I'm honest, that it could be the cylinder head weeping oil. I would have thought that to be unlikely due to having no other symptoms, but it looks to me like there is nowhere else for the oil to be coming from.

Again, I can't see why I would be losing that much oil from the inlet maifold unless the turbo we loosing oil in a big way, and the turbo appears to have only a little weep, but then again, the only way I could check this for sure I guess would be to take of the inlet manifold and replace the seals.

I checked the injectors again this morning, and the bolts are still holding torque, no carbon around them and no chuffing, but t it is oil I am sure, and not carbonised diesel.


First, an apology for going straight to it in my first post.

I've about given up, and thinking of trading the car in. I'd rather not if I'm honest, we've only had it for 6 months, and we like it a great deal, but the smell of oil is a real annoyance now, and of course, there are the health aspects too!

307 1.6 HDI SW 2006 with the oil pooling around the injectors, and running down onto the exhaust manifold. Valve cover has been replaced 4 times now, no change. So I guess that can be ruled out. Injectors weren't leaking, but I had the seals replaced for good measure anyway. but I guess the injectors have nothing to do with the oil I'm losing. Full service history, and I've changed the oil twice in around 4000 miles with the correct low ash etc. New o ring on the breather to air intake pipe, the oil doesn't appear to be coming from here.

The oil leak is heaviest at the gearbox side of the car, clean nearly other end, ruling out the timing chain eating it's way through the cover I would imagine.

Can I kindly ask if anyone has had this problem and put it right? I was thinking the inlet manifold oil seals, but I don't know the engine and it appears to be quite an involved job if I'm barking up the wrong tree. Any pointers in any direction would be GREAT!!!

Last attempt at a repair before we say goodbye.

Thanks in advance...

[MikeT]

Are you sure it's oil? Does it need excessive topping up?

[Bill Mac]

Are you sure it's oil? Does it need excessive topping up?

Hi,

Yeah it's oil. It's not a huge leak, more of a weeping wound I'd say. I don't loose a lot of oil, but I do need to top it up. It settles around the injectors, pools up and pours around the side of the rocker down onto the exhaust manifold, stinking the car out

I cleaned it all off yesterday and I'm just back from a drive today, equal pools around each injector. Not even a hint of diesel in the smell.

[Bill Mac]

I keep on returning to the injector seals too, becuase of reading about people with the same problem putting it right by changing the seals. I can't understand why there would be oil pushing up past the injectors though?

I got a garage to fit new seals when I first discovered the problem, but it made no difference. Now I'm wondering if they were fitted right. They did manage to break the rocker over while doing the job, they didn't let on of course The rocker cover has been replaced. On the fourth rocker cover gasket fit, I put a small bead of white sealant around the edge so I could see if the leak was making it's way past, It appears to be fine.

[MikeT]

Not even a hint of diesel in the smell.

Ok, will rule out fuel leak then. A good (imo) method for liquid leak detecting is to place some tissue or paper towel around suspect parts. It will immediately highlight a specific point of leakage. It make take some guess work to backtrace a flow though.

[elma]

I'd give it a good degrease first and try Mikes paper detectors.

[Bill Mac]

I'd give it a good degrease first and try Mikes paper detectors.

Thanks James! I've being doing the degreasing weekly at the moment to reduce the smell It's a tricky one for sure. As soon as it's washed away, it's back after a few miles driving. I've stood for maybe half an hour with the engine running, bonnet up after cleaning hoping to see something, but nothing. As soon as I drive, I've got the pools of oil

Thanks again...

[Bill Mac]

Not even a hint of diesel in the smell.

Ok, will rule out fuel leak then. A good (imo) method for liquid leak detecting is to place some tissue or paper towel around suspect parts. It will immediately highlight a specific point of leakage. It make take some guess work to backtrace a flow though.

Thanks MikeT!
I've cleaned, but I've never tried the paper towel trick, I'll get right to it

Thanks again...

[drew]

did you ever solve this problem??
experiencing the same problem changed injector seals top and bottom, inlet manifold o rings 8 of them, rocker cover 3 times… still pooling and smelling oil!

[Stickyfinger]

Is this oil or diesel that is pooling ?

[drew]

OIL OIl OIL.....
think it might have something to do with blanking off the egr valve, the only think it really can be, its got 67.000 miles so faily low miles engine is super clean just fresh really black OIL pooling around injectors, change oil every 2000 miles at the moment as the constant oil dripping is easy to clean, also i suspect a leaking oil cooler as well do they drip oil? b4 the usual silly question i know where the oil cooler is its a different leak

[drew]

so had it up on a ramp after cleaning it and it seems to be dripping down the back of engine and then dripping on to exhaust straight pipe not the manifold! using about 1lt every 1000km!

[kmak577]

Changed rocker cover seal on mine, had issues with leaks still, took it down to the garage for them to tell me it was the rocker cover seal. Apparently its so thin its easy to not get it to mate with both surfaces properly causibg a slight sweep that pools on the top of the head.

Just my experience

[thewww]

I have had the same problem and have traced it to the inlet manifold seals leaking when the turbo pressurised the manifold, try spraying a mixture of washing up liquid and water around the joints and revving up the engine you will see the leak ,I don't see why it looks like oil pooling but it's definitely coming from the manifold seals on my engine.

[drew]

still leaking like a m uth fu er... sealled the rocker cover well with heat proof silicon did not change a bit so thats ruled out! all injector seal already replaced all 3, inlet manafold o rings replaced already, so the oild start pooling around the middle 2 injectors first then drips down the back of the engine and onto the exhaust pipe, smells bad for a 2010 model c max and smoke coming out the engine bay