Thread: Early thoughts on oil leak?

Mine has a small oil leak - but it looks like the rear main seal. It is enough to make the back of the engine damp but doesn't drop oil on the ground. It has 225,000KM on it.

Not sure what is on the side of the TD6 that could leak oil - the sump maybe? Pray it's not that if you are paying for the repair to be done - it is a huge job to get them off as they are a structural member and the front drive shafts run through it. You basically have to disassemble the front suspension on both sides to remove it that.

Rear main would be just as bad - hopefully it's something simple.

Originally Posted by bacicat

Mine has a small oil leak - but it looks like the rear main seal. It is enough to make the back of the engine damp but doesn't drop oil on the ground. It has 225,000KM on it.

Not sure what is on the side of the TD6 that could leak oil - the sump maybe? Pray it's not that if you are paying for the repair to be done - it is a huge job to get them off as they are a structural member and the front drive shafts run through it. You basically have to disassemble the front suspension on both sides to remove it that.

Rear main would be just as bad - hopefully it's something simple.

Thanks Bacicat: From my very brief inspection I will discount rear main or sump. As I said it is very early stage of investigation but it seems to me more likely from Turbo area

Have a look at the intercooler inlet pipe. That will confirm or dispel your worst fears. If its dripping with oil you have a seal gone in the turbo, which means turbo out and rebuild or a new turbo.

I don't know how the crank case on the TD6 is vented. If its to the inlet pipe pre turbo there will be some oil vapour accumulation at the intercooler inlet, but I don't think it should be dripping. Given its a fairly modern BMW engine i'd expect it to not vent the crank case to pre-turbo inlet, which means it should be quite clean at the intercooler inlet.

Good thought - crankcase pressure builds up in these engines if the filter has never been changed - and it's not something the OEM will do - ever. There is a replacement filter that separates the oil out and never needs changing. It's under the engine cover and injector loom. As a worst case, this can cause turbo failure, and it's very difficult to rebuild a Vnt turbo properly - I just bought a new one - it was around $750 locally which is very cheap in my book. The original has been superceeded many times and the new one is of a superior design - and really bought he engine back to life. I got it from Rotomaster in Campbellfield - very easy and friendly to deal with.

They are a PITA to change, but doable.

Originally Posted by bacicat

Good thought - crankcase pressure builds up in these engines if the filter has never been changed - and it's not something the OEM will do - ever. There is a replacement filter that separates the oil out and never needs changing. It's under the engine cover and injector loom. As a worst case, this can cause turbo failure, and it's very difficult to rebuild a Vnt turbo properly - I just bought a new one - it was around $750 locally which is very cheap in my book. The original has been superceeded many times and the new one is of a superior design - and really bought he engine back to life. I got it from Rotomaster in Campbellfield - very easy and friendly to deal with.

They are a PITA to change, but doable.

Thanks again. I will investigate further and report. The crankcase breather filter has been changed regularly and the current filter was installed less than 4k back.
As a matter of interest 10 years after these cars were released Land Rover finally have that filter on their service schedule. Of course that horse bolted a long time ago!
I also have the revised and non change unit ready to install.
Advice on turbo supplier may well be useful.

First guess would also be turbo, mine developed a weep at around the same K's. It has since deminished greatly after doing a EGR block, although it shouldnt really do that...it kinda did.

Hope it disappears like mine did.

First of all my memory was a little out.
That breather filter had been in for 8K and not 4 as said earlier. Still not very long.
I did quite a bit of inspection on the vehicle today and am rather hopeful that it was in fact that darn breather filter. Oil was present around the turbo and other areas where I would not expect it.
I even spoke with the people at the turbocharger company recommended by BACICAT who also believed that I had a breather problem.
So it is all cleaned up, the new modification which does away with the filter element fitted and I shall see how that goes.
Incidentally the quoted price for a replacement turbo from the business identified by BACICAT was $1500.00