V8 Disco1 oil leak

[Utemad]

Hi folks,

I have an oil leak. Lots of them actually however I'd like to actually fix this one in particular as it is a big'un.

The engine is a 3.9 serpentine belt V8 in a 1994 Disco1.

I can see it coming out of a round hole that seems to have a circlip holding something in next to one of the engine oil cooler hoses on the engine end (the hose that goes to the top of the engine oil cooler).

Has anyone fixed this before?
What is behind the circlip? I'm always worried parts will spring out and all over the place.

Thanks

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/1651.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/1652.jpg

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

I can't be sure, but it could be the oil pressure relief valve on the oil pump body.

[Utemad]

You're right.
I just looked in RAVE and it says it is the Oil Pressure Relief Valve.

So the big question is
Is the valve relieving high pressure or is the O ring buggered?

Guess I'll find out on the weekend.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/1623.jpg

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

You're right.
I just looked in RAVE and it says it is the Oil Pressure Relief Valve.

So the big question is
Is the valve relieving high pressure or is the O ring buggered?

Guess I'll find out on the weekend.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/1623.jpg
remember to Wear safety glass to protect the eyes just in case.
Pls post what the cost was for parts and repair times.

[Utemad]

I'll be doing it this weekend most likely.
It's been leaking for around 12 months or more though. Only just bought a pressure cleaner so I could get rid of the crud and find the leak though so things don't happen too fast around here :)

I envisage all I will need to do is replace the O ring.
Cost should be under a dollar and time taken will be short.

Once that is done I will know if there is something bad happening or not. Given how long it has been weeping my bet is it is just the O ring or some failure of the other relief valve components.

I am assuming that excess pressure is meant to be bled back into the sump as opposed to the outside of the pump. I've never had one apart before as you might be able to tell...

[Utemad]

Just thought I'd post this up here to answer my own question about how the over pressure valve works.


The fourth characteristic is the overpressure valve. This can usually be found by looking down inside the threaded outlet hole and seeing if there is a coil spring, usually about an inch diameter and an inch long, near the bottom. This spring holds a steel disk over an aperture, and if the pressure differential across the filter element exceeds a preset amount (usually 8 to 12psi), such as may occur when starting an engine long overdue for an oil change on a very cold winter's day, the valve disk lifts up against the spring and allows (dirty, unfiltered!) oil into the outlet, thereby saving the oil pump and the engine from immediate (not long-term!) damage. Later filters have a phenolic plastic overpressure valve, viewed by looking into the threaded hole to the bottom, and noting the approximately one inch diameter head of the valve. However, in the Rover V8 application, this feature of the filter is less important, since on many of the engine derivatives, there is already such a valve built into the pump. The small thimble-shaped screen covering the pressure relief valve is usually directly visible. (In applications which have the oil cooler adapter is fitted, this will have to be removed to see the overpressure valve.)Land Rover FAQ - Repair & Maintenance - Range Rover (http://www.lrfaq.org/RR/RR.OilFilters.html)

[Utemad]

I took it apart tonight.

The O ring is completely shagged. I would assume it was meant to be rubber looking and pliable like all good O rings.

This one is all hard and snapped like plastic when I tried to remove it :o
Well passed due for replacement it appears.

Oil must either seep past the piston or come back down the bypass route. Otherwise there would be no oil to leak out of the dead O ring. I guess this is normal though as otherwise there would be no need for the O ring. Would be the same oil that ran out when I removed the plug.

Here's a handy hint, If you lose the circlip look on top of the steering box :angel:

[Utemad]

remember to Wear safety glass to protect the eyes just in case.
Pls post what the cost was for parts and repair times.

Job's done.

Did it on Saturday and the oil that used to drip off the oil filter and coat the driver's side of the block has not reappeared.

Total cost was 30 cents for a BS017 O ring.
That is 11/16in ID x 1/16in according to Google.

Only special tool required (if you could call it that) was a pair of 90 degree internal circlip pliers.

Took 5 minutes to get it all apart and about 4 hours to get it back together. Had to remove the aircon compressor and one of the oil cooler lines to get access to press the cap back in with my thumb. Luckily the new O ring would hold the cap in place long enough to refit the circlip before the spring pushed it out again.
Pushing the cap in took many goes though. Very limited access and pushing it in straight was quite difficult.

[Tombie]

Hope you got Viton or that o'ring will be hard again in 6 months...

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Job's done.

Did it on Saturday and the oil that used to drip off the oil filter and coat the driver's side of the block has not reappeared.

Total cost was 30 cents for a BS017 O ring.
That is 11/16in ID x 1/16in according to Google.

Only special tool required (if you could call it that) was a pair of 90 degree internal circlip pliers.

Took 5 minutes to get it all apart and about 4 hours to get it back together. Had to remove the aircon compressor and one of the oil cooler lines to get access to press the cap back in with my thumb. Luckily the new O ring would hold the cap in place long enough to refit the circlip before the spring pushed it out again.
Pushing the cap in took many goes though. Very limited access and pushing it in straight was quite difficult.
So it's one of those 3oc parts and $200 labour charge jobs. thanks for the up date.:cool:

[Utemad]

No idea what it is made of. I think Viton O rings are brown? This one is black and so was the old one.

I told the guy what it was for and he measured the cap and went and got it. Had a bit of a chat about Rover V8s and off I went.

I would assume that it is the original one and at 15 years old it has only been leaking for the last one. So I'd say she'll be right for a little while.

One thing I found while looking up the oil pump online was that this O ring is susceptible to leaking after an overheat. I did overheat it just before it started leaking. I changed the heater hoses and didn't tighten up one enough and it leaked. The oil leak began very soon after that little mistake.

[BigJon]

I am going outside right now to see if that is where my oil leak is...

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

I am going outside right now to see if that is where my oil leak is...
If you find it and it's not the pressure switch let us know I have a leak behind the oil filter That I can not locate

[BigJon]

Didn't find the leak while under the car, now I will grab my torch and look from above.

[Utemad]

I am going outside right now to see if that is where my oil leak is...

If it is leaking from there I think it will be hard to tell without degreasing the engine in that area. The oil on mine was blown over pretty much the entire driver's side of the block and that general area. It was easy to spot once it was clean though.

You will be kicking yourself for not doing it before you installed the 3.9 though :(


If you find it and it's not the pressure switch let us know I have a leak behind the oil filter That I can not locate

Mine was running down the underneath of the oil filter then dripping on the ground and the diff housing. Sounds like yours. May be the O rings on the oil cooler pipes too. I changed mine a while ago.

[BigJon]

I am getting new cooler pipes made up at the moment.

When I fit them I will pull the alternator and A/C compressor off. It is an easy job (just did it on my wrecker Disco) especially as I don't have the A/C pipes hooked up yet.

Then I can replace the O ring with relative ease.

[Utemad]

Then I can replace the O ring with relative ease.

You will have better access but the main issue I found is trying to push the cap in. It is very close to the steering box so you have to come at it from either side (I found the front the easiest).
Makes pushing it in straight a PITA.

[Utemad]

I should clarify that I found coming in from the front the easiest. I came in from underneath at the front.
You might be able to do it from above if you totally remove the aircon compressor since it isn't connected. I unbolted mine but it was still plumbed up so could only move it small amounts.

[BigJon]

I will pull the bracket right off the front of the head. The Disco in the shed has the intake manifold and alternator / A/C bracket off at the moment. So much room in the engine bay now!

Look at this room...

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7756/dscf3125v.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/i/dscf3125v.jpg/)

[BigJon]

By comparison, this is the Rangie engine bay after fitting new cooler hoses and o ring.

I slightly modified (grinder) a pair of small pointy nose pliers to access the circlip. I don't have any right angle circlip pliers.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/dscf3131j.jpg/)

[Utemad]

That is stacks of room with the ancillaries removed :)

You can't even see my oil filter or steering box from above.

What condition was the old O ring in?

[cucinadio]

By comparison, this is the Rangie engine bay after fitting new cooler hoses and o ring.

I slightly modified (grinder) a pair of small pointy nose pliers to access the circlip. I don't have any right angle circlip pliers.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/189/dscf3131j.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/dscf3131j.jpg/)


so mate where on that pic is it ?..if you wouldn't mind editing it

cheers

[BigJon]

That is stacks of room with the ancillaries removed :)

You can't even see my oil filter or steering box from above.

What condition was the old O ring in?

The old o ring snapped when I took it off the plug...

[BigJon]

so mate where on that pic is it ?..if you wouldn't mind editing it

cheers

I don't know how to draw an arrow in but,

Right next to where the oil filter screws on you can see an oil cooler line going into the oil pump housing.

Directly next to that oil cooler line hole is the hole where the plug with o ring lives. It is horizontal and heads directly from left to right in that pic.

[cucinadio]

I don't know how to draw an arrow in but,

Right next to where the oil filter screws on you can see an oil cooler line going into the oil pump housing.

Directly next to that oil cooler line hole is the hole where the plug with o ring lives. It is horizontal and heads directly from left to right in that pic.


thanks mate, what a great thread Utemad ..had a good look under mine and have found my mysterious leak :clap2: now to get in there with one hand..:mad:

cheers guys

ps ...so does heaps of oil come out when you release the cir clip and plug??

[Utemad]

thanks mate, what a great thread Utemad ..had a good look under mine and have found my mysterious leak :clap2: now to get in there with one hand..:mad:

cheers guys

No worries. All that talking to myself initially has paid off for others :D



ps ...so does heaps of oil come out when you release the cir clip and plug??

A cup full at the most when you first remove the cap.

[The ho har's]

Me thinks I need to study up on this :D


Mrs ho har:angel:

[cucinadio]

Me thinks I need to study up on this :D


Mrs ho har:angel:


:whistling:....:angel:.....

[trobbo]

Total cost was 30 cents for a BS017 O ring.
That is 11/16in ID x 1/16in according to Google.

I never new O rings were that technical. where do you get them from?

[Utemad]

That is just the size.

I got mine from Lewis Hoses and Seals in Brisbane.

Try a bearing shop in your area. If they don't sell them then they will be able to tell you who does.