Commie VID
ClioSport Club Member
Elise 111S, Model 3
Hi all,
Having done the cambelt and loads of other stuff a month or so ago, had a look under the car to have a check up on things, but unfortunately, things look a little grim.
I decided to stick some leak detection dye into the engine oil just in case the engine decides to leak somewhere, and indeed, it looks to be the case.
My little UV light doesn't detect any leaks from the top half of the engine though. But underneath:
The above is the subframe, where the driver side wishbone is mounted. The UV light is picking up the oil and showing it up as green.
So attempting to go upwards:
This is the crankshaft pulley, and the block has loads of traces of an oil leak.
This is where it gets really difficult to see, where the plastic cambelt cover is, there's loads of oil on the outside of it, but I can't tell if there is any within it.
What makes it much worse is that this oil leak is trickling onto the driver side driveshaft, and presumably once it's on there, spins and flicks oil everywhere, so it reaches as far as the steering rack gaitors and even the fuel pipe underneath the car. It may just be looking worse than it is, but I have put in a litre of oil over about 500 miles.
The UV light was also highlighting some things on the passenger side, but it looks like (smells like) transmission oil, which I assume will always leak, so considered that a red herring.
When I did the cambelt change, the camshaft seals were changed, and given the engine was hanging and easy to move about, I also changed the sump seal. Loads of silicone sealant was used on the sump, so didn't surprise me that was leaking, but I'm not sure whether I've sealed it up correctly.
Could the sump be the cause? Driveshaft could be flinging oil as high as I've shown, or have I cocked up the camshaft seal installation? Or could it even be something else? Only other place could be the front crankshaft seal, or heaven forbid, rocker cover? I took off the RH engine mount but couldn't really see any more, and can't really see any more without taking apart more of the car.
Bit frustrating, but I might have to resort to a specialist, because I don't want to go through all that again.
Noticed the cat looks to have a hole in it and blowing whilst I was down there. Fun times.
Having done the cambelt and loads of other stuff a month or so ago, had a look under the car to have a check up on things, but unfortunately, things look a little grim.
I decided to stick some leak detection dye into the engine oil just in case the engine decides to leak somewhere, and indeed, it looks to be the case.
My little UV light doesn't detect any leaks from the top half of the engine though. But underneath:
The above is the subframe, where the driver side wishbone is mounted. The UV light is picking up the oil and showing it up as green.
So attempting to go upwards:
This is the crankshaft pulley, and the block has loads of traces of an oil leak.
This is where it gets really difficult to see, where the plastic cambelt cover is, there's loads of oil on the outside of it, but I can't tell if there is any within it.
What makes it much worse is that this oil leak is trickling onto the driver side driveshaft, and presumably once it's on there, spins and flicks oil everywhere, so it reaches as far as the steering rack gaitors and even the fuel pipe underneath the car. It may just be looking worse than it is, but I have put in a litre of oil over about 500 miles.
The UV light was also highlighting some things on the passenger side, but it looks like (smells like) transmission oil, which I assume will always leak, so considered that a red herring.
When I did the cambelt change, the camshaft seals were changed, and given the engine was hanging and easy to move about, I also changed the sump seal. Loads of silicone sealant was used on the sump, so didn't surprise me that was leaking, but I'm not sure whether I've sealed it up correctly.
Could the sump be the cause? Driveshaft could be flinging oil as high as I've shown, or have I cocked up the camshaft seal installation? Or could it even be something else? Only other place could be the front crankshaft seal, or heaven forbid, rocker cover? I took off the RH engine mount but couldn't really see any more, and can't really see any more without taking apart more of the car.
Bit frustrating, but I might have to resort to a specialist, because I don't want to go through all that again.
Noticed the cat looks to have a hole in it and blowing whilst I was down there. Fun times.
