Oil Leak 3.0L D4 - Oil cooler and filter assembly -should it have a hole here!

**disco4now** · 11th April 2019, 08:09 PM

I have been chasing an oil leak for some time on my 2010 3.0L D4. I now think I have located where its coming from. The oil appears down the back of the bell housing and then everywhere eventually. Leaks at the top of the engine take a while to fill up the valley and after it is cleaned out when chasing the leak it disappears for a while. I put some luminous dye in to try and help. I had just changed the filter and saw some oil around the bottom so tightened the filter up to try and stop it, but still there. I removed the filter and cleaned it up, and found the oil coming from the oil cooler and filter assembly, not from where the filter screws in.

landroveroilcooler.jpg
This shows what the filter housing looks like. The arrow points to where I found and unexpected hole. Don't know if it should be there or not. It at the bottom of a little valley/recess about 3/4mm deep.

oilleak1.JPG
This is a photo looking down on mine with the filter removed. The arrow shows the little hole.

oilleak2.JPG

This shows the oil under ultra voilet light after it has been idling for a few minutes. Th oil comes out the little hole, fills the first valley, overflows and fills the next and then continues on.
So its not coming from a loose/leaking oil filter.

The part number for the oil cooler and filter housing seems to be LR013149 which supercedes to LR040738.

So my questions are:
Anyone seen this before?
Is the hole supposed to be there and something underneath is leaking?
Anyone had the assembly replaced?

oilleak3.JPG

Here is the setup I used to suck the oil out of the valley. A reasonable amount in there.

Gerry

**PerthDisco** · 12th April 2019, 09:11 AM

Thinking there could be a manufacturing glitch?

Unless there is an internal restriction and this is a pressure bypass?

More likely this hole is a bracket supporting some internal gizmo and is leaking somehow.

Great investigative work btw!

**Graeme** · 12th April 2019, 10:22 AM

It appears to be a casting fault that has finally burst through. If replacing the housing yourself, be very careful that no dirt or debris of any sort can enter the oil holes as at least one of them will be post-filter so the dirt/debris will go straight to all the bearings and turbos and therefore necessitating a replacement engine.

**loanrangie** · 12th April 2019, 11:24 AM

Casting flaw for sure, as its leaking externally its definitely not supposed to be there.

**disco4now** · 12th April 2019, 08:05 PM

Thanks for the replies.
Any thoughts about trying some JB Weld in there as a temporary fix. Its quite a small hole so I don't think any would go through to the inside, but could get quite a good plug into that recess that its at the bottom of. I am thinking the pressure of the oil here is what is provided by the oil going through the filter, as I think it drops straight thru to the sump from the filter.
Just looking at some service notes:
March 2017 was noted oil in the valley when the body was off. Cleaned up and put down to possible previous leaking O ring on filter.
March 2018 investigated again because of oil in driveway. Cleaned up but could not find the source. Put down to me not tightening the filter enough.
So its probably been going on for over two years, maybe getting a little worse.

I am going away with the caravan for about a month after Easter so no time to get it fixed, will do a about 2K so will just keep an eye to the oil level. I don't think its getting dramatically worse but would like to see it stopped and be reassured its not the front oil seal about to pop out.

Thanks
Gerry

**PerthDisco** · 12th April 2019, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by disco4now

Thanks for the replies.
Any thoughts about trying some JB Weld in there as a temporary fix. Its quite a small hole so I don't think any would go through to the inside, but could get quite a good plug into that recess that its at the bottom of. I am thinking the pressure of the oil here is what is provided by the oil going through the filter, as I think it drops straight thru to the sump from the filter.
Just looking at some service notes:
March 2017 was noted oil in the valley when the body was off. Cleaned up and put down to possible previous leaking O ring on filter.
March 2018 investigated again because of oil in driveway. Cleaned up but could not find the source. Put down to me not tightening the filter enough.
So its probably been going on for over two years, maybe getting a little worse.

I am going away with the caravan for about a month after Easter so no time to get it fixed, will do a about 2K so will just keep an eye to the oil level. I don't think its getting dramatically worse but would like to see it stopped and be reassured its not the front oil seal about to pop out.

Thanks
Gerry

Just solvent clean and fill that entire well with 5 minute Arildite. Will not travel too far if you give it a minute or two after mixing.

**Graeme** · 12th April 2019, 08:36 PM

Oil is not filtered just to go to the sump! From the filter it goes to the crankshaft bearings, piston cooling jets and turbo bearings. The oil will be under pressure from the oil pump.

**disco4now** · 11th June 2019, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by PerthDisco

Unless there is an internal restriction and this is a pressure bypass?

Just an update to say that hole is there by design as its in a new one,not exactly sure of its purpose, probably to tell you when its stuffed. Blocking it does not help, so probably not a good idea, oil found somewhere else to come out . The oil coming out must indicate some issue so I am booked in to get the oil cooler assembly replaced.

**DiscoJeffster** · 11th June 2019, 09:49 PM

I bought one this week. In the box new it has that hole. I assume it’s part of the manufacturing process. I cannot wait for the pleasure of fitting it. I could also see the hole in my original unit

**Eric SDV6SE** · 12th June 2019, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

I bought one this week. In the box new it has that hole. I assume it’s part of the manufacturing process. I cannot wait for the pleasure of fitting it. I could also see the hole in my original unit

So is the hole all the way through or does it just leave a thin wall section? Can't see a reason for the hole. To vent oil to the outside is very weird. I would have expected that a pressure relief would vent back to the sump...

Does the oil filter or filter housing cover the hole when screwed down? Perhaps it's a weird way of ensuring that an OEM filter or housing is used.

Having said that, I use after market mahle oil filters and the oem filter cover, and I don't have any oil leaking out of that area. I'm going to have a look at my oil pump tonight and try to post a picture here.

Unless it is a manufacturing defect and even the new unit is affected....Hope not for DJs sake....

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Oil Leak 3.0L D4 - Oil cooler and filter assembly -should it have a hole here!

Oil Leak 3.0L D4 - Oil cooler and filter assembly -should it have a hole here!

JB Weld

hole should be there

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