Engine oil leaks

[Paul Jorgensen]

Hi,

Following on from my fuel filter seal failure post...I cleaned my cars engine bay etc so that I could check for oil leaks. I purchased the car nearly 3 years ago after it had been restored inc an engine rebuild. I have covered just under 3000miles.
I started and ran the engine for approx 2 1/2 hours tonight and monitored it for leaks. I have found many small leaks which is why the underside of my car was covered in a film of black oil.
Leaks found:-
1. Sump bolts have oil hanging off them. ? (I Noticed this before I cleaned the engine so tightened them up but they are still leaking by)
2. Oil pump leaking between pump & block. GASKET CHANGE REQUIRED
3. Oil pump drain bolt leak. I WILL REPLACE THE COPPER WASHER
4. Some timing cover bolts leaking by?
5. Oil leak from Distributor. I WILL REPLACE THE SEAL
6. Oil leaking around the timing pointer fixing bolts?
7. Cam cover dome nuts leaking?
8. The dome nuts retaining the Oil breather on the front of head leaks by.?

As you can see there are various oil leaks, most of them appear to be oil passing by the bolt/nut threads. can anyone advise if these engines are prone to leaks?
These leaks from the bolts & nuts, can anyone advise if they have had the same issues and how best to eliminate them.

All your help will be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance
Paul

[abowie]

Be very careful when tightening the bolt that drains the oil filter housing as it is easy to strip. I tend to use a couple of dabs of silicone sealant on this.

[mgcjag]

Hi Paul....yes they leak..its not uncommon...some say its built in underbody protection (meaning instead of waxoil) ...it will drive you mad trying to stop all the leaks......some of your leaks can probably be stoped with sealer on the threads or under washers.etc but its common for Jags to leak...check out the 2 oil feed pipes to the rear of the camshafts....if these leak its supprising where the oil from them can travel to....im sure others will give their opinions....Steve

[Stephanie Plum]

If it isn't leaking, there's no oil left ;)

[ralphr1780]

Paul, firstly did you fill in the oil volume recommended in the manual or topped as by the dipstick readings?
And which type of oil? (full synthetic / semi-synthetic / grade …)
These are important elements to check first as excess oil loading and or too thin will enhance the situation.

[ALAN COCHRANE]

While we’re on about engine leaks, has anyone got a sure fire way of stopping the cam feed banjo’s leaking.
I’ve tried everything from blue hylomar to fibre washers and nothing seems to work. As you say Steve a leak from these results in oil being being deposited in some very odd places.
I’m sure my original oil pipe did not leak from any of the joints but unfortunately did from the brazed joints. I then replaced it with a set of flexible braided hoses from SNGB and have had leaks at the cams ever since.
Could the reason be the smaller internal bore of the hoses resulting in higher oil pressure at the banjos.
One final thing do not use ptfe tape since this will ride up the banjo body and block the oil holes. Ask me how I know that!

Cheers

Alan

[Tom W]

Crushable copper washers help with preventing leaks from the cam feed pipes. Check the leak isn’t actually from the bung/rev counter drive in the back of the cylinder head, where the cam bearings are line bored. I find the exhaust cam side particularly prone to leaking. The cam cover gasket needs to properly seal at the ends where it butts up against the rubber o-ring on the bung. It seams oil from here easily tracks down and makes a mess all over the place, making it look like the feed pipe is leaking when it isn’t. Probably makes its way to the sump bolts too, making it look like they’re leaking when they’re not.

[chrisfell]

“has anyone got a sure fire way of stopping the cam feed banjo’s leaking.”
I just reused the copper washers after softening them/annealing them.
Heat them to glowing a let them cool down (do not quench).
Then I made sure everything was really clean before tightening up.

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Thanks for the replies.
I’ve isolated the leak to the cam feeds and currently the banjos are fitted with copper washers. I’ll try annealing them and hopefully that’ll do the trick.
The two sump bolts either side of the rear crank seal have oil drips on them and I think this maybe due to the cam feed leaks as well. The oil seems to travel around the circumference of the bell housing and drop off at whatever convenient point it chooses.

Cheers

Alan

[Paul Jorgensen]

Hi Ralph,
I checked the oil level using the dipstick and use Valvoline VR1 20/50 mineral oil

[Heuer]

One other notorious area for leaks is the pipe between the oil filter and sump. This is because the current replacement pipes are of a constant bore whereas the fittings are a different size. And no matter how much you tighten up the clips there always seems to be a leak. The solution is to have a tapered hose:



Angus reports that after fitting one to his car he has not had even a single drip of oil from either pipe after 1,200 miles of high speed motoring! They are available from Moss Jaguar at £22 each including VAT, UK post and packing.

[Paul Jorgensen]

Thanks David,
I tried to purchase one of the tapered hoses on Line but no joy, I will have to call them in the morning...
I cured the leaking sump bolts and water pump bolts by using PTFE tape thickly wound to the top part of the bolt which is good news, but have found 4 more leaks.
Front & rear crankshaft seals are weeping and there’s appears to be 2 pin holes in the aluminium sump.

Has anyone come across the sump issue, I am wondering if I could use a metal repair filler to block the holes. It is only very minimal but still a leak...

[Heuer]

Give Angus a call and he will supply for £25 - they do not have a web shop. https://www.mossjaguar.com/shop.html

[Paul Jorgensen]

Will do thanks again.
Paul

[Paul Jorgensen]

The tapered oil pressure relief hose turned up today
So I had the filter housing off to replace the gasket, when off I filed flat the drain plug face & fitted a new fibre washer. All back with the new hose. I Ran it for 40 mins, another 3 leaks cured..
David thank you again for advising on the tapered hose, it looks great!!!