1.6Hdi Oil crud on engine?

[Element]

Just bought a 2008 Berlingo 1.6 Hdi 90 (80k miles). Had thought the oil stain down the nearside of the engine was from a rocker cover leak; dealer had said the same and had confirmed it was fixed. However, when I have it home & begin to study everything in greater detail, I find that it is pretty unlikely that it was the rocker cover gasket - far more likely that someone has given the oil pipes an overhaul & in the process, leaked a load of oil down the one side & there appears to be some kind of black carbon coal deposits - like crystals on the one area. I believe its a pipe blockage that's been cleaned but whoever did it - didn't clean up their mess.









I plan to do an oil / filter change asap with also removing the turbo oil feed pipe & making sure it is clean throughout & if the wire mesh filter inside is present, removing it. I plan to repeat this procedure every 5-6k miles.

Can anyone throw some light on the likely cause of the crusty coal bits - where did they come from & should I remove any other pipes to dig out & clean more?

Cheers for your input

[myglaren]

The 'coal' is from leaking injectors.
If it is fixed then that is OK but otherwise the injector(s) that are leaking will need to come out and the copper sealing washers replaced after any refurbishing that may be required.
The problem seems to be the injector clamps not being adequate and coming loose.

Not a big job but removing the old copper washers might be a challenge without the proper tool.
I had mine done on the C5 2L (different system) and the problem has never returned.

There are a few threads dealing with this but Paul (citroenxm) is the current expert on the 1.6 and any advice he offers would be well to follow.

[citroenxm]

Copper washers are simple to get out... Get a cross head screw driver that just fits and then tap it into the washer it then grips and lifts them out..

The coal can be evidance of an ex blowing injector if its not already blowing.. Listen for a chuffing sound with the engine running.. If its still blowing get it done because the oil getting out will for sure let carbon soot into the oil and the rest js well documented..

Once its all done there is a simple thing to do to prevent it again... Routine check of the injector clamps.. With a 7mm bex allen key... Keep ontop of the clamp tightness and they sbouldnt blow again.

As for oil leak.. While the injector is out there is an oil seal at the top of the injector guide tube .. Get a set of new ones.. And fit them.. But be carefull they are a pig to fit in and are tight in place. What i did was found a socket the same size as the guide tube and put the seal on the socket then lined the socket over the guide tube and then slide the seal down into place.. If you done the inner edge of the seal sits over the guide tube and then there is no oil seal....

[Element]

Thanks for the info - however I'm confused as to where the oil would come from to enable so much to be present to allow the gases coming from a leaking injector to turn the oil to this 'coal'? I know the 'chuffing sound you refer to - heard it on another friends' car recently - but here there's no sound like it all; so maybe its a past issue but whoever fixed it just didn't tidy up. I plan to do a thorough clean up of the area and make it so clean that if there is any oil leak still happening - it'll be obvious and easy (that should be easier) to trace its source. There's a sticker on the fuebox implying no water spray hose should be used in the engine bay - so I'll use my wife's steam cleaner & some gunk plus an assortment of old toothbrushes etc then a spray bottle to wash it all away.

[citroenxm]

Oil seal at the top of the guide tube.. Right under the top of the injector clamp

[Lighty]

The coal on the engine is very tricky to get off as it sets so hard. Very likely that it was never moved from an earlier leak.
In you picture , the breather hose is held into the rocker cover with a cable tie. Keep your eye on this area, as that shouldn't be fastened in like that & may be the source of a steady oil leak as well.

[Element]

Cleaned 90% of it all off and it looks a lot better now. Then drove a round hot trip of 80 miles, no obvious leaks so hopefully it was just the residue of a past leak. The cable tie snapped & I put 2 new ones on - the breather hose connection at the rocker cover is a bit 'past it' but the cable tie holds it tight so it can stay like that for a while yet. I will keep an eye on things...

That oil filter was a pita to do - forever unscrewing & then the damned filter doesn't want to come out of the 'top' - so much easier with 2.0 Hdi!

By the way - where is the fuel filter situated? It seems to be hidden from view at the back of the engine maybe?

[citroenc5mad]

The fuel filter is located on the right hand side off the engine towards the back.
If you follow the pipe held with cable ties, where it connect with 4 bolts I undone it there and also removed the air intake pipe for the air filter as these are in the way, think there 10mm once there out the way it's a enclosed fuel filter.

Hope I helped

[citroenxm]

Its a complete unit and you replace the wholecthing.. Housing in all.

Theres a fuel pipe at the rear lower side and also an electrical connecctor.. Once off though there is a small bit that slides off it that you NEED to swap to the new housing. Its not obvious at first..

[Element]

Thanks for that