240 - mystery oil leak
 

My 1993 high-mileage Torslanda has developed a mysterious but intermittant oil leak. It is coming from somewhere at the front of the engine. I have fitted a new cam seal and established that it is not coming from there, nor the valve cover gasket. It is neither the oil pressure sender nor the filter, but seems to seep out somewhere in the region of the water pump.
The odd thing is that it does not regularly do it, but about once a month there is a little puddle of oil in the sump shield. Otherwise it is bone dry. It is definitely engine oil, not steering pump.
It does not go anywhere near the timing belt, fortunately, but appears to seep from behind the plastic plate on the block side of the timing belt.
Anybody any ideas please?

RE: 240 - mystery oil leak
 

Have known oil pump bolts to be loose on this model also check the oil pump and crank seals.Also make sure flame trap is not blocked.
Regards Paul. 200series reg keeper voc.

RE: 240 - mystery oil leak
 

Thanks Paul
It is coming from higher up than the crank - about level with the top of the waterpump.
By oil pump bolts/seal, you mean inside the sump?

Flame trap is a good tip, but I did that when I replaced the cam seal, following someone else's tip. It was absolutely solid with bake-hard oil, but alas the problem persists.

RE: 240 - mystery oil leak
 

No the oil pump is driven by the gear that also drives the distributor.I think my description might have been a bit vague. Yes the actual pump is internal but there is a housing behind the gear wheel which is bolted to the engine block with a gasket behind it these are the bolts that can come loose the seal is on the shaft of the drive and I believe it is the same seal as the camshaft. This gearwheel/drive is about level with the w/pump.
Regards Paul.

RE: 240 - mystery oil leak
 

Thanks very much Paul. I had forgotten about the other sprocket and shaft - yes, of course, it too must have a seal.
Cheers,
Cliff

RE: 240 - mystery oil leak
 

I'd go for the flame trap/manifold nozzle again just to make sure. In order of my experience (and I know you have tried some of them) is
Cam seal, rocker cover gasket, crank seal. The one not mentioned is a failing head gasket !!!! A common leak however is the rocker cover at the front camshaft bearing. The camshaft bearing/ oil seal housing sometimes needs a little goo as it is slid in. Oil can seep here because its under pressure to the cam. Also when you put the rocker cover gasket on did you put some goo into the sharp corners as it can weep here. These leaks on the front are always a B*!!!! to find. Cheers Nigel

RE: 240 - mystery oil leak
 

Thanks very much, Nigel. I have just checked the flame trap to manifold pipe, and found that it seemed to have an occasional blockage.
I had cleaned it recently, using a coathanger and petrol, but it must have had a section of perished rubber inside which flapped shut sometimes.
The car suddenly runs better too - presumably the mixture is set up taking into account a constant flow of air through the breather, so a blockage would make the mixture a touch too rich?

Anyway, nice to know it's not the head gasket, which seemed to be the only thing left to check.

Mystery Oil Leak - solved?
 

Cleaning out the blockage in the flame trap pipe made no difference, so last night I investigated the cam oil seal.
It was new 38,000 miles ago, but I found it had twisted sideways in its housing and the circular spring had become detached. With a new seal it now seems OK.
I was surprised that there seems to be nothing much to hold the seal squarely in place, other than being gently nipped by the tightened bearing housing. Is there supposed to be a spacer between the cam sprocket and the oil seal?