Oil leak(s)

[d4vy]

Howdy.

Am posting here for a second opinion really.

Have had an issue for a month or so where by, when I start the car, when it's starting to warm up I am getting a strong smell of oil, which vanishes when the car has warmed up.

Thankfully I work within a workshop, and got a good friend and techie to check it over for me.

There is quite a large leak from both drive shaft oil seals going into the box, but more worryingly, quite a large leak/burnt on browning on the top/back of the engine, it's even more apparent it's wet oil when you touch it from the top of the engine, seems quite fresh.

He reckons it's possibly headgasket, but without investigating it further he can't be 100% (said the browning is similar to how the Mondeo ST24's headgaskets go).

He is really high up in ford in the mechanical side of things, obviously know's very little about the engine in mine, but guess every engine is similar in that respect?

Has anyone got any suggestions as to whether this may be what it is? Something else? Do these engines suffer from HGF?

Thanks in advance.

Matt

 

[mr.pink87]

Could be a leaking rocker cover (HGF are quite rare on the F4R) which is a big job including cambelt change etc.

 

[DaveDreads]

Best thing to do is clean all the oil off the engine, then after a decent drive have a look under the bonnet for any fresh oil.
I did this and tracked my oil leak down to a rocker cover bolt that was a bit loose and was weaping a little.

 

[d4vy]

Had a chat with the techie today and he said the browning is definately headgasket related, but the other leak is most likely rocker cover.

Anyone got any suggestions on a rough price for a job like this? Obviously there is the drive shaft seals as well.

 

[sideways danny]

Had a chat with the techie today and he said the browning is definately headgasket related, but the other leak is most likely rocker cover.

Anyone got any suggestions on a rough price for a job like this? Obviously there is the drive shaft seals as well.

highly doubt it's the head gasket, takes some major issues to cause one to fail. More likely it's rocker cover related, which is cambelt off to fix, but needs to be examined to see the extent of the job

 

[d4vy]

highly doubt it's the head gasket, takes some major issues to cause one to fail. More likely it's rocker cover related, which is cambelt off to fix, but needs to be examined to see the extent of the job

What is normally the first sign of HGF on that engine out of interest?

He seemed fairly adamant that's what it's the start of, but he's obviously not an expert on that engine so not sure lol.

 

[Fred@BTM]

will be rocker cover as Danny says, headgaskets don't fail

 

[d4vy]

Thanks for advice guys, stupid question but will the leak just get worse if I leave the rocker cover leak? Or should it just stay weeping as it is? :rasp:

 

[P17 TOO]

Mine leaks from the rocker cover and I'm leaving it until the cam belts due as it's not majorly leaking. Just keep an eye on your oil level and you should be OK