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DISCUSSION => Engine management => Topic started by: jens on September 30, 2008, 09:04:52 AM

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: jens on September 30, 2008, 09:04:52 AM

My M42 is leaking oil on the right side of the engine but I can not see where, can anyone help.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: kowalski on September 30, 2008, 12:34:49 PM

profile gasket, or valve cover gasket

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: jens on September 30, 2008, 02:55:42 PM

New valve cover gasket. How can I change profile gasket, do I have to remove the head.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: doitover on September 30, 2008, 03:13:25 PM

I suspect you will get some good advice on this, but in the mean time...

It's really worth your while to clean things up to see if you can get a better idea of where the oil is coming from. Where the leak is will affect the pain of fixing it quite a bit.

On the other hand you could just replace all the gaskets on the timing chain cover and the crank seal because if it isn't the valve cover gasket (or one of the valve cover bolt seals ), that's probably what you will have to do anyway.

There are two profile gaskets, one between the upper and lower timing chain cover, and the other under the upper timing chain case.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: quinn11m20 on September 30, 2008, 04:39:11 PM

Can you get a photo?

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: jens on October 01, 2008, 04:51:02 PM

Photo

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/2905284968_b075a64318_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2905250652_6314906640_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/2905231240_d2fdd493fb_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2904421989_70b147f0f5_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3062/2905348480_a8380a6984_b.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2409/2905321402_99f208058f_b.jpg)

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: kowalski on October 01, 2008, 06:28:31 PM

the profile gasket is underneath the upper chain cover on the head. basically you pull that front plate off and your there.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: twright on October 01, 2008, 06:30:20 PM

The oil leak will usually start at the top and go down.  (Something to do with gravity :-) )

It looks to me like the highest oily part is just under the valve cover gasket.  If this is true, then its the valve cover gasket leaking.  This is good news, because it is the easiest to get to.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: Jimmy Lewis on October 01, 2008, 10:09:49 PM

I would remove the valve cover and make sure the gasket is set exactly as it should; sometimes rubber gaskets get pinched or aren't seated properly, which would allow for leakage.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: quinn11m20 on October 01, 2008, 10:39:18 PM

Thanks for the photo. I agree with "Jimmy Lewis" and "twright". Mine leaked there a few years ago and I just replaced the valve cover gasket. If you decide to do that, you also need to replace the spark plug gaskets. Follow? Good Luck. Tony.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: jens on October 02, 2008, 03:43:03 AM

New gasket in valve cover and spark plugs but, maybe it sit  not right.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: KenC on October 02, 2008, 09:25:45 AM

Quote from: jens;57721

New gasket in valve cover and spark plugs but, maybe it sit  not right.

Make sure you retighten all of the valve cover bolts when the engine is warm too.  You have to go around them all about five times.

Title: Oil leak M42
Post by: jens on October 02, 2008, 11:12:30 AM

Ok thanks