Got a weeping oil leak, changed oil & filter about 2 months ago, knowing it had a leak after checking the MOT history of the car online 4 months ago...

Went through about 2.5 litres in that time, got the MOT in about 2 months time, just bought 4 more litres of the same oil to keep it topped up until then...

It's dripping off the sump but it is travelling from near the top of the engine block...

My initial guess is the rocker cover gasket has gone, but on further inspection, it looks okay I think. What's the next gasket heading down the engine block?

Update: drove about 150 mile round trip, filled to almost the max level with fresh oil last night, less than 24 hours later the oil level never even appeared on the dipstick... now that is worrying!!!

Got a clean bucket under the car and leaving it over night as it is expensive oil (using 5W-40 fully synthetic Castrol Magnatic C3 garde) not sure if the fully synthetic oil is making is worse due to its less viscose state?

Any other ideas would be much appreciated as I think I'll need to stick it in a garage in the next 48 hours, can't keep buying oil...

Got feeling that it could be the crankcase gasket... Having the time of my life on Eper, great tool just too many gaskets that could go wrong...

You say you're collecting it in a clean bucket? Please don't try and re use it. I know it's expensive but think of the crap it's picked up on its way down the engine and off the sump, it'll be full of road filth.

What engine ??
If it's the 16v Starjet, have a feel underneath the top left hand engine mount.

We had a pretty bad oil leak took ages to find the source.
Oil was running underneath the top engine mount, down the cam belt cover, and also along the cam carrier.

Turned out to be a rubber O ring on the blanking plate for the 2nd cam shaft.

If it is this, It can be changed (just) without taking the timing belt off

keat63 said:

What engine ??
If it's the 16v Starjet, have a feel underneath the top left hand engine mount.

We had a pretty bad oil leak took ages to find the source.
Oil was running underneath the top engine mount, down the cam belt cover, and also along the cam carrier.

Turned out to be a rubber O ring on the blanking plate for the 2nd cam shaft.

If it is this, It can be changed (just) without taking the timing belt off

Click to expand...

normally the difference between low + high on the dipstick = @ 1 litre of oil,,
sounds like you've "lost" 1.5l in 150 miles.. NOT good,

best way to resolve this is thoroughly clean + dry the upper half of the engine,
then go for a short / 10 minute drive,
you should see what has become oily again,


at least you can rule out the bits that are still bone-dry..,


the thin oil may not help.. IF it's getting especially LOW on oil at times you DO run the risk of engine damage / premature internal wear : - (


charlie

Turned out it was a crack at the very top of the sump... and by a crack I mean it has rusted away!!

With the sump being less than 8 years old, is that something that has a deeper impact? I.e is 8 years about right for the sump yo be that rusty it has small holes in it providing a path for pressurised oil to travel out, around the engine block and all the way down the bottom of the car: all along the exhaust pipe too!

Now that I know it's the sump I'm getting metal resin clay stuff + oil leak stop stuff. Car is done for today, phoned for the night off work as I ain't running it like that!

New sump will be ordered once I'm home and will be replaced during the week (as it won't be dispatched until Tuesday probably!

Any hints/tips about a sump change?

Thanks for the fast input, and good knowledge yet again

Starting to think I've got a lemon :/

The GP is full of little design flaws that can cause problems like this. I would be checking to see if anything obvious has caused it and if it can be prevented in the future, or it could just be something that's one of those things....

Yeah, I completely agree with that, major ones like scuttle drain directing water directly on to the alternator... I mean how basic is that but yet the damage can be catastrophic and extremely expensive! Well I've managed to get some Quicksteel, putty that you mould and squash until the one colour, then once you let it set, it literally turns to steel! Best invention ever! Bonds with any metal and I stuck some copper grease and a layer of paint over it to seal it... along with Wynns Engine Stop Leak. No chance any oil is coming out anytime soon that's for sure!

I had a very similar problem with my sump along the lining of it,took it in the garage and they resealed it and its been fine since. I tried to put the steel putty stuff on too but couldn't quite get to the hole!