P38A Diesel Engine Oil Leak

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Lukas018

Lukas018

Well-Known Member
Posts
633
Location
Sussex
Since I have had the car it has always had a oil leak, however it seems to have gotten worse, very difficult to try and find the source as there is oil everywhere.
The leak is definitely coming from the air inlet side of the engine where the injectors are (RHS of engine facing the bonnet), it may be the rocker cover.
Just wondered if anyone with a diesel P38 has had the same issue and how easy it was to resolve?
Thanks
 
Lukas018 said:
Since I have had the car it has always had a oil leak, however it seems to have gotten worse, very difficult to try and find the source as there is oil everywhere.
The leak is definitely coming from the air inlet side of the engine where the injectors are (RHS of engine facing the bonnet), it may be the rocker cover.
Just wondered if anyone with a diesel P38 has had the same issue and how easy it was to resolve?
Thanks
Click to expand...

I had an oil leak from head gasket middle of inlet side. Only cure was a new head gasket. Wash it off and look for source.
 
Lukas018 said:
Since I have had the car it has always had a oil leak, however it seems to have gotten worse, very difficult to try and find the source as there is oil everywhere.
The leak is definitely coming from the air inlet side of the engine where the injectors are (RHS of engine facing the bonnet), it may be the rocker cover.
Just wondered if anyone with a diesel P38 has had the same issue and how easy it was to resolve?
Thanks
Click to expand...

@Dopey had a leak from his rocker cover that widdled all over the place. Easy enough apart from the half-moon bit under the bulkhead at the back.

Sure it is oil and not diesel from perished leak off pipes? #4 injector tends to leak eventually too. Mine did.
 
Lukas018 said:
Since I have had the car it has always had a oil leak, however it seems to have gotten worse, very difficult to try and find the source as there is oil everywhere.
The leak is definitely coming from the air inlet side of the engine where the injectors are (RHS of engine facing the bonnet), it may be the rocker cover.
Just wondered if anyone with a diesel P38 has had the same issue and how easy it was to resolve?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Leak off pipes are favorite
 
Bagshot said:
Common one is oil from the oil filter cap. If a cheepo oil filter has been fitted the large O ring for the lid is not always a good fit and eventually oil starts to seep out under the cap.
Ask me how I know...
Click to expand...
Mine starts leaking after about 5,000 miles . Convenient oil & filter change reminder .
 
leak is enough when have a small pool on the floor, the leak is black as if it is engine oil however the level does not drop, could be diesel and oil, it smells like engine oil. I will need to take the air intake and that off have a look at the injectors return pipe. Looks like could be both oil and diesel are leaking.
 
Lukas018 said:
leak is enough when have a small pool on the floor, the leak is black as if it is engine oil however the level does not drop, could be diesel and oil, it smells like engine oil. I will need to take the air intake and that off have a look at the injectors return pipe. Looks like could be both oil and diesel are leaking.
Click to expand...
No need to take the inlet manifold off, just the plastic cover. It's easy to see if the leak off pipes are leaking as there will be pools of diesel in the injector wells. As it runs down the block, it picks up oil & dirt.
 
Datatek said:
No need to take the inlet manifold off, just the plastic cover. It's easy to see if the leak off pipes are leaking as there will be pools of diesel in the injector wells. As it runs down the block, it picks up oil & dirt.
Click to expand...
Have to agree with @Datatek, I had a bad "oil" leak for a long time. Turned out it was a diesel leak that was washing the oil debris down the block and leaving an "oil leak" on the floor. Took weeks to find it after I had chased all the possible oil culprits..
 
it sounds like a diesel leak, not had a proper chance to take covers off, but as the oil level has not dropped and reading the above I did see one of injector wells had diesel in them.

Any hints on the fix? Which pipe is the leak off?

Cheers
 
Lukas018 said:
it sounds like a diesel leak, not had a proper chance to take covers off, but as the oil level has not dropped and reading the above I did see one of injector wells had diesel in them.

Any hints on the fix? Which pipe is the leak off?

Cheers
Click to expand...

There is only one injector that can hold liquid. Number one. All the others cannot, any spill leak just runs down the head and block.. Braided rubber pipes are spill pipes.
 
To help OP, pretty much all engines are numbered cyl 1 at the front. I have only come across 1 so far where they start from the flywheel end
 
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