16 replies to this topic

[rbodor3]

I've noticed a pretty substantial motor oil leak. It appears to be dripping onto the passenger axle and being flung across the engine. I go through about 1/2 qt every 2k miles. I can see the oil spray all across the bottom of the car. No oil spray on the bottom of oil pan so I believe it's coming from somewhere on the backside of the block, the camshaft seals, or RMS?

The oil doesn't accumulate in 1 spot, because I'm not getting any significant oil drip. I noticed the leak investigating oil burn smell and significant (clouds) of white smoke from the tailpipe at idle. I noticed this only happens when the car is warmed up, and after I have reversed. If I don't ever put the car into reverse, I get no smoke. If I put the car into reverse, even if only for the small period of time it takes to back into a parking spot, I'll get smoking.

I haven't been running any high boost (+6psi), or hard driving.

Recently:
- changed psg axle seal (thought this was propagating the leak)
- new oil filler cap seal (ipd viton)
- accident that hit my psg-side wheel hard enough to bend it beyond repair

[sjmcarz]

The passenger side accident concerns me. Did the oil issue start right after the accident? What I'm thinking is that when you put the car in reverse, the torque is causing a hairline crack somewhere(engine block where the passenger axle support is?) to slightly open causing an oil leak. Or somewhere near the trans? Or a damaged oil line shifting when you go into reverse?

Just guessing here. I think you need to clean the oil off the engine to try to pinpoint where it is coming from.

When di you fist notice the exhaust smoking? Probably two different issues here.

[sjmcarz]

Also, is it engine oil on the back side of the engine or trans fluid or ? And to clarify, you are getting white smoke out of the exhaust at idle, and smoke from the engine bay from burnt oil when reversing?

[rbodor3]

Not sure when exactly the smoking started. Accident in November, but I normally drive only about 300miles a month, didn't notice any smoking until about very late December/early January when it started getting really cold.

I would think even with a hairline crack, I'd be getting oil leak at idle just b/c of oil pressure. I clean the oil off the engine and look at it, still can't tell because it doesn't happen unless I go in reverse and then let it idle, and the oil is slung from the axle so by the time I have a chance to get back under the car the oil is everywhere again :\

It's definitely motor oil, not trans oil. That was my first guess.

If I go in reverse, and then idle the car or keep going in reverse for an extended period of time, it will smoke. If I never reverse the car, I'll get no smoke no matter what.

[Ihatespeedbumps]

My guess would be leaking rear cam seals.

[rbodor3]

I was leaning towards cam seals also, but does this explain the smoke from the tailpipe?
I'm thinking about sending the oil off for analysis, figure if I get soot in the analysis than I'm getting cross-contamination and something bad in the combustion chamber....

[rbodor3]

I was thinking turbocharger, don't know why it didn't cross my mind earlier. Could I have a bearing seal leak, causing oil to leak into the exhaust? I might simultaneously have a rear cam seal leak which is causing the oil to get on the engine. But something has to be getting oil into the exhaust stream, and the most likely-to-fail part would be the turbo (unless my valves are bent or my rings are bad).

Does anybody have any comparitive oil analysis data on these cars? I'm sending out for oil analysis this week and want a comparison soot data.

How can I check the turbo for oil leaks? Would I just take the compressor housing off and inspect the turbine-side for any evidence of oil?

[rbodor3]

Finally back in the country for about 4 days then leaving again. I did a compression test:
cyl1 = 120 psi
2, 3, 4 = 140 psi
5 = 125 psi

All within spec, and similar to the results I got about 2-1/2 years ago. So doesn't look like rings.

I pulled the crossover intercooler pipe off the compressor outlet, there was only very minor oil which is typical to what I've seen in the past.
Is there anything it could be, at this point, except for the turbine bearing seals?

[NJGreenBudd]

Wow, those compression numbers are low even if they are within 10% of each other. I did see a thread which you were talking about oil blowing onto the firewall a while back and had changed the oil cap and redid the lines for your catch can. Did you do any engine work or have been driving it since then?

I am getting ~200psi on my LPT S60 and ~185psi on my LPT V70...... just seems really low to me. Could be related to the smoke from the tailpipe IMO...

Anyways, I had a very similar oil leak on my S60, came down the side of the engine and onto the axle where it would flick off onto everything, ended up coming from a loose cam cover bolt that was mistakenly loosened when replacing the ignition coils. The oil would well up through the slack bolt until it spilled over the edge and ran down onto the axle. Very easy fix in that case.

Have you tried to clean the oil off of the engine and axle and run it on jackstands or a lift, try to see where the new oil is coming from?

[rbodor3]

I've tried lifting the engine and looking for oil leak, without success unfortunately
I've also definitively determined that the oil leak is coming from either the engine or the turbo, and is internal to either the combustion chamber or the exhaust side of the turbine housing.

the engine might have been a bit cold, it had sat for maybe half an hour to an hour but never really got that hot (my daily commute is only about a 2 miles). Tomorrow I will make sure it's above 90C when I do the compression test, and will use the oil trick to see if it's rings, although I doubt it because I would imagine it woudl be getting progressively worse if it were rings (and not a valve).

[NJGreenBudd]

So it's actually dripping from the turbocharger down onto the axle? Maybe just a turbo oil drain pipe gasket?


I'm a bit confused at to what you are actually looking for, it sounds like there is more than one issue here. I would assume the oil leak and the smoking are seperate issues.

[rbodor3]

Redid compression today, engine was definitely warm (90C when I started test, was coolant temps)

cyl 1 = 157psi
cyl 2 = 150psi, w/ oil = 187
cyl 3 = 167
cyl 4 = 150
cyl 5 = 150

When I removed the compression tester after filling cyl 2 with oil and retesting it, smoke came out (a lot). When I removed the spark plug for cyl 3, a bit of smoke came out of it too.
all of my compression numbers still seem a bit on the low side.... which means what. head gasekt?

[NJGreenBudd]

Seeing the compression rise after adding oil would suggest the rings are worn. Didn't you already do a cylinder leakdown test a while back as well?

[rbodor3]

I did about 3 years ago and nothing out of the ordinary. I'm going to have to do another leak down.
I would imagine I wouldn't get all 5 rings bad at the same time. Same thing goes on the valves. Which all points back to head gasket D=

[NJGreenBudd]

I didn't think adding oil to the compression test would affect the readings by that much if it were a problem with the headgasket or valves, the oil seals the rings maily. A leakdown test would give a much better idea of what's actually happening inside the cylinders, whether the leak is through the rings, intake or exhaust valves or headgasket.

Are you still in the country or abroad again?

[rbodor3]

unfortunately I'm gone again, in canada for a couple of weeks. When i get home I'll do the leakdown.
I didn't think about the huge jump in compression from the oil, but you're right, it wouldn't make any sense to be HG or valves with the oil test. Would have to be rings at this point, which is the least convenient of the 3 tasks to do, PITA.

Will do the leakdown though anyway and make sure before I pull the head.

[rbodor3]

Back in the US finally again.

Waiting to do the leakdown this week, but check it, yo:

oil leak = too much blowby on the head. Had a new IPD Viton cap seal replaced, less oil getting thru, but with my increased boost believe this is the root cause still. Will be welding an aluminum 3/4" NPTF bung on the head to add additional crank venting.

smoke = believe this is condensation. It only occurs in reverse because water buildup in reverse pushes back in the exhaust to a hot spot and burns off more. It's stopped smoking now that the weather is warm.

I have built my custom 3" exhaust with straight-thru cat and straight-thru mufflers (all magnaflow). There's a bad low-poitn in the exhaust where I previously used a band-clamp (not air-tight seal). In November I replaced the clamp by welding in v-bands (now that I have the $ to afford), but this also means that the condensation that previously escaped thru the badly sealing band-clamp joint is tight with the v-band joint. I'm drilling a small hole at the low point today to allow condensation to exit; however, don't expect to be able to make sure this is the problem until it gets cold. Will still proceed with the leakdown because I didn't like my compression #s.