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Diagnose my oil Leak

Kingb4

Well-known member
Joined
20 Jan 2018
Messages
541
Hello,
A cheeky request, but would appreciate thoughts on a couple of oil leaks I have spotted.
The first looks suspiciously like RMS or IMS seal. However both were changed (along with the clutch) less than 1000 miles ago by Box911.
 

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I suspect the second leak is a spark-plug tube. tracing it up the engine, its coming from behind the heat-shield (difficult to see with the manifold and heat-shield in place).

Would welcome thoughts/advice.

The oil-level doesnt seem to be dropping at all. Have read that its best to leave RMS/IMS seals till the clutch needs doing (which wont be for a long while).
 
Thanks Ragpicker - managed to forget to attach the photos of the second leak (hopefully now attached)
 

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The first is RMS or IMS bearing cover. Take it back to whoever did the work!

The second, I dunno, could be plug tubes could be oil pressure sender etc.

At least you know there is oil in it.....

I wouldn't worry if the oil level is not dropping. If the oil is not dripping out i.e. its just causing dampness, its not a big deal on an old engine.
 
First picture is rms/ims and may well be they didnt clean out the bell houseing so its old oil from before the job was done .

Either way its not what i would call a leak .. its a sweat .

My scale is out of 5 so that would be a 1/5 .. 3 on the scale is a leak that doesnt need attention atm .. 4 is a drip forming whilst engine is running and 5 is the heavens have just opened .

Last pictures and again thats not really a leak , theres no evidence of oil actually dripping down from the pictures .. it seems to be old and again a sweat .

Thats not really plug tube area on the first picture .. more like a sensor ie cam or vario solinoid .

Plug tubes / seals and the oil tends to drip off the head .

You can spend money fixing both if you wish .. but i wouldn,t flag up either leak to a customer as needing attention from the pictures .
 
Thats brilliant, thanks Demort and Wasz....

As you say, more of a sweat.....neither had caused even a drip on the garage floor. I think i will clean it and see what happens......
 
1st picture as you mention, IMS/RMS, some people just aren't very good at fitting them.

2nd leak could be a spark plug tube but looks to far to the left/rear, I would assume variocam solenoid seal, I had a similar misting and it was that.
 
Really appreciate all the help - this forum is great.

Infrasilver - its interesting that you spotted its close to the rear. I noticed it looked wettest right at the back (left) - really tricky to see with the manifold etc when looking from below and too many hoses when trying to see from above.
Will get my endoscope out and see if that helps me localise it.

Have just googled variocam solenoid seal - doesnt look to tricky to do, if thats what turns out to be the issue.
 
Demort said:
First picture is rms/ims and may well be they didnt clean out the bell houseing so its old oil from before the job was done .

Either way its not what i would call a leak .. its a sweat .

My scale is out of 5 so that would be a 1/5 .. 3 on the scale is a leak that doesnt need attention atm .. 4 is a drip forming whilst engine is running and 5 is the heavens have just opened .

Last pictures and again thats not really a leak , theres no evidence of oil actually dripping down from the pictures .. it seems to be old and again a sweat .

Thats not really plug tube area on the first picture .. more like a sensor ie cam or vario solinoid .

Plug tubes / seals and the oil tends to drip off the head .

You can spend money fixing both if you wish .. but i wouldn,t flag up either leak to a customer as needing attention from the pictures .

So, almost a bonus - built in corrosion protection as per Landrovers!
 
searider said:
So, almost a bonus - built in corrosion protection as per Landrovers!

I will spoil that when I clean it all off.......Which wont be till the weather is warmer (my garage is freezing!)
 
As its warmed up, I managed to get out in the garage and get the heatshield off to look at where the leak is coming from.

It doesnt seem to be from variocam solenoid seal, looks to be higher up, coming from the part coloured red on this diagram. Is this a common seal failure. Anyone had to repair theirs? (I havent worked out what part this is yet......
 

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Thanks infrasilver - was painful to even see it, so can imagine what working on it will be like.....
 

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