C5 2001 2.2hdi leaks

[bighairybloke]

Hi my C5 is due it’s mot soon and I am about to fit new rear suspension boots as they are both gone.
However I have also a leak at the front of the engine, it seems high up but I can really see where it could possibly be coming from. Oil is everywhere!

Any ideas?

Also, I. Have a leak of LDS fluid from the right side of engine bay under where the pump is. I can’t see where it’s coming from either… any ideas?

Ta peeps

Steve

[GiveMeABreak]

Can't really help regarding the engine oil - maybe you should put some photos up so others can see.

As for the LDS fluid, that may be leaking from the reservoir (if the car has been constantly raised on a ramp, wheels hanging freely and returned to the ground without first raising the suspension and removing the LDS cap), this can weaken the reservoir and cause it to leak see this link: viewtopic.php?t=62058

It may be from a return pipe (from the strut) back to the reservoir - that can become worn or damaged. It needs further investigation to be honest.

[bighairybloke]

Yes the car had been hanging on the lift for three days while I fitted a towbar:-) so probably no need to worry then….will take a look at the link

[aspire_helen]

Re engine oil leak. First, is it engine oil, or perhaps diesel? The large plastic sealing ring on the top of the filter can fail to seal fully resulting in a fine mist of diesel over the front upper engine area. I had this after a dealer service. Over time the engine became covered with a black film of what I thought was engine oil. I wasted a long time looking for an engine oil leak before I traced it to the diesel filter. Now, when I change the filter I lubricate the oring and threads of the filter top/body with red rubber grease to enable the ring to fully tighten.
You will probably have oil in the air inlet and intercooler hoses, and this can seep out via the hose couplings and gaskets.

Regarding LDS leak. I had an LDS hose coupling corrode away, behind the front left wheel arch. Thankfully it was on the low pressure side. I acquired a length of suitable standard hose from a scrappy and spliced it in.

[bighairybloke]

Re engine oil leak. First, is it engine oil, or perhaps diesel? The large plastic sealing ring on the top of the filter can fail to seal fully resulting in a fine mist of diesel over the front upper engine area. I had this after a dealer service. Over time the engine became covered with a black film of what I thought was engine oil. I wasted a long time looking for an engine oil leak before I traced it to the diesel filter. Now, when I change the filter I lubricate the oring and threads of the filter top/body with red rubber grease to enable the ring to fully tighten.
You will probably have oil in the air inlet and intercooler hoses, and this can seep out via the hose couplings and gaskets.

Regarding LDS leak. I had an LDS hose coupling corrode away, behind the front left wheel arch. Thankfully it was on the low pressure side. I acquired a length of suitable standard hose from a scrappy and spliced it in.

Thanks for that, I’m sure it’s oil, but I also think you are right that it’s seeping from the various doodads attached high up on the hoses. I have no idea what they are!

[aspire_helen]

Have you checked for engine oil inside the air-inlet hoses, air metering housing etc?
I would just clean it down, run the car and monitor. Perhaps wrap a strips of material around suspect hose clamps and joints etc, BUT not any high temperature pipework like the EGR. In the past I have used strips of fire-retardant bonnet liner held in place by a ziptie (or wire in a very hot location).

[bighairybloke]

Have you checked for engine oil inside the air-inlet hoses, air metering housing etc?
I would just clean it down, run the car and monitor. Perhaps wrap a strips of material around suspect hose clamps and joints etc, BUT not any high temperature pipework like the EGR. In the past I have used strips of fire-retardant bonnet liner held in place by a ziptie (or wire in a very hot location).

Thanks Helen, will do that and see. It would
Make sense that pressure is behind the leak as it’s widely dispersed. So after the turbo makes sense?

[aspire_helen]

Have you owned the car for long and doing your own repairs/maintenance? How available are spares in France?

[aspire_helen]

Just as an aside. One of your photos shows the black plastic cap of one of the aircon service ports. Have you checked under the 2 port caps to make sure the ports are not rusted? The external surfaces (not just the internal bore and core valve) have to be in perfect condition for the R134a quick connectors to seal onto the port bodies. The caps are inadequate for this purpose in such a hostile location under the engine.

[bighairybloke]

Thanks, i will pop them off as I don’t think they have ever been removed !