Engine oil leak - MK3 8v

[Ninj]

Hi all,

Clutch started to slip the other day and [I think it was] the crankshaft oil seal which was causing a big leak into the flywheel.  So clutch changed as it was knackered anyway together with the seal.

All seemed well but noticed a drip on the bottom of the flywheel cover this morning.  Drip got much worse on the motorway and it's all over the place now.

Could almost be the sump gasket but it seems to be higher up, front nearside, dripping down back nearside of sump and round the front into the bellhousing between flywheel and case.

Could this still be the crank oil seal or something else?  Where does that leak tend to show itself ?  Unfortunately I didn't see where the original leak was coming from.

Also, in photo 3, should that green collar not be flush at the gearbox end of the driveshaft, doesn't look like it's sitting right and cant say I've noticed it before!

Thanks in advance


Photo 1 - what is the right angle looking sensor at top arrow?  Crank angle sensor? A bit of oil around it but hard to tell if that's the culprit. Oil seems to be tracking round by bottomw arrow and pooling in bellhousing.

[Ninj]

anyone?

[Rmachines]

If you have ensured its not comming from above the gearbox area (that you can see from above) Its either the sump or crank seal, seals can be a pain sometimes if they arnt put in exactly straight,  can you get a torch up there and try to see if the oil is comming from above the sump gasket?  would rule out the seal again.   Sump gasket if not,  its deffo engine oil not gearbox??

[Ninj]

Hi mate, thanks for the reply.

Yes definately engine oil not gearbox. There is oil higher up than the sump gasket Im pretty convinced but not sure how far up it would get blown when driving 

If it as the crank seal, where would it be showing up mostly?  Theres every chance they havent put it in properly, not a VAG tradesperson who did it 

Id like to rule that out I think otherwise Ill just get on with changing it.  I assume, gearbox off and sump too for access?

[jayh]

i remember speaking to a guy he had an 8v gti that would ruin the crank seal every couple months,he done this 3 times before he broke the car up ,

not somthing you want to here,but i cant see wot there is to go wrong without haveing other problems,

[Ninj]

Was it blowing it out or something?

The car has always had a leak which you'd smell when you stopped after a longish drive. I put the blower on recirc and got over it though, it's a 140k motor

Only after the clutch started to slip with associated (or possibly coincidental...) oil loss was the seal replaced.

It seems to have got worse and then been barely any better after the seal was replaced so I have my doubts that it was done right, it literally could have only done 10 miles around town before the motorway journey when it started honking out.

[Ninj]

Sorry meant to say, yeh from above its not without staining but nothing that would equal a major leak.  This is a drip every 20 secs type rate and theres not a run or anything from the head

[jayh]

he used to top his up with oil till the clutch went,replaced seal and clutch this was the first time then he noticed oil leaking again replaced the seal ,still leaked after a while so left it till the clutch went and broke her,somthing like that ,i remember saying that sounds like 2 much ball ache when a new engine is about £70 ,

[Ninj]

Yeh, this is the way I'm thinking; although if all this engine needs is a seal, then better the [high mileage] devil you know, but if it's going to be a proper PITA and I had an engine hoist, I'd be tempted.....

[jayh]

were abouts r u?theres a guy in croydon selling a agg engine for 50 on ebay,iv bought a few bits of the car it came out of and seems to be looked after\,plus hes a fellow dubber as he drives a vr6 ,

plus just had a cambelt put on her,