Oil Leak most likely culprit?

[Mixmasta]

Sorry pardon my obvious ignorance  :embarassed: yeah I was on about the crankshaft seal.

"I would say its more than likely either your sump gasket or your rocker cover gasket mate"

God I hope so, I've changed the rocker cover gasket already and as mentioned I will change my sump gasket tomorrow - will probably actually be Monday as I will need a new copper washer for the sump plug.

Someone also mentioned that it could well be the dizzy oil seal, I have checked GSF and I can't find anything which looks like it, is it known by anything specific so I can put a search term in, I've tried distributor seal it just comes back with dizzy cap

Thanks Lee_dub!

[Mixmasta]

********UPDATE*********

Finally sorted the electrics and changed the sump gasket    ran the car in situ and let it get up to temp and go through the fan cycle a couple of times, checked for oil, nothing  let it cool down then did the same thing again, checked for oil, nothing  . So I thought that i'd be brave and go for a quick spin so I could check after that....... got back and had a look, still just as bad as it ever was!  pouring out!. As you look at the camshaft side of the engine it's done the same thing, the side of the block from the camshaft all the way down is layered in oil. The oil run off/where it's dropping to the floor is from the bulkhead side of the engine if you look at it from the drivers wing. One thing I did notice is that the cam belt wasn't 'caked' in oil so I figure that the belt isn't distributing the oil round the block so I guess it's best to work from the top down?. Next to chalk off the list is the camshaft seals? has anyone done this, is it something which is easy(ish) fo the DIY'er to do?

Cheers for all the advise!!!

By the way, on the 'quick spin' the accelerator pedal just sunk to the floor on a dual carridgeway leaving me with no power. Pulled over and had a look and the grommit which holds the cable to the pedal had just disintergrated, thankfully I had a crocadile clip in the car so did a temp fix - This is now the 3rd time this has broken down in as many trips out 

[Lee_dub]

Ok then.  Have you donr the rocker cover deal yet?

[Mixmasta]

yes mate that was the first one as obviously is the easiest.

[Lee_dub]

So what your saying is its leaking from the camshaft pulley side from around the area where the pulley is?  It sounds like the camshaft seal has gone.  Get someone to rev the car whilst you observe the engine behind the camshaft pulley.  Unfortunately it is a cam out job mate, remove the pulley and change the seal, pulley back on and then re-fit.  If you mark the position of the pulley relative to the belt and lock the crankshaft so it cant move you can slacken off the tensioner and just pull the belt off at the camshaft pulley.  Then whip the cam shaft out and change the seal! refitting the cam is easy too.  Should take you a few hours mate

[Lee_dub]

How did you get on with this mate?

[Mixmasta]

Hey Leedub,

Not great if i'm being honest, took it to a garage so I could get it up on ramps to see whether I get a better view of the leak - didn't!. The mechanic who was there said, this is definately your camshaft seal mate, otherwise you wouldn't get oil here (up on the side of the block by the camshaft pulley). I have changed that and it's not stopped in the slightest. So I'm going to have a bash at the intermediate shaft next week as I'm waiting for some engine mounts, if i'm taking the belt off again I may as well do everything in one go. If that doesn't stop it i'm fully stumped, must be a crack or something I can't see, as mentioned this is quite a bad leak!

Things changed thus far

Rocker cover gasket
Sump gasket - which was much harder to do than I though, courtesy of x2 10mm bolts near the bell housing
Camshaft seal

[Lee_dub]

I tell you what mate, I'm really starting to feel for you....

Well at least that is another seal done anyways.  If it's not your intermediate shaft then I can't think what else it could be.  If the block is cracked then it's new lump time.  Don't give up tho fella.

[Mixmasta]

Thanks Leedub,

Yeah getting a little disheartened to be honest, but I'm also very stubourn  ... knew that would come in handy at some point - what is it they say 'joys of motoring'

I'm holding on to the thought that if it was a crack then I would be using coolant too. Just really frustrating when you change something on recommendation rev it in situ with no leaks, then look after a quick spin and it's leaking as bad as ever - properly gutting feeling, hey ho

Will post up next week, hopefully with good news ..... don't hold your breath though

[Lee_dub]

 

I have my fingers crossed for you mate