Technical Oil Leak (Rocker gasket or head gasket???)

[stayinfly]

Hey everyone, just need a word of advice on my 1996 Punto 1.1i, its my first car so Im a bit of a novice.

Ive noticed that oil doesn't last very long in my car, it doesnt leak externally, and if it does its minimal, but it seams to congrgate around the top of the engine??

The cars performance isn't really hindered by it, starts first time and drives well but does produce a burning oil smell when i push it to 100mph lol, which i know i shudnt be doing in a 1.1 but hey!

The water doesnt leak, which leads me to think it can't be the head gasket? If it was the head gasket, I'm assuming there would be other leaks and there would be more problems caused??

The oil just seams to leak and spread around the top of my engine, and now the part located under the air filter is covered in oil...........wondering what people would suggest in my position??

Many Thanks

 

[Thomas_Si]

Take the rocker cover off put a bead of instant gasket all the way round the head new gasket another bead of instant gasket then put the cover back on see if that cures it.

pot of gunk will sort out the mess as well

 

[The Sultan]

buy a new gasket and follow these instructions
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-gui...ket-without-having-leak-again-week-later.html
also have a look underneath the car and check the steel sump is not rusting through if your concerned about excessive oil usage

these cars can start to burn oil if there not given a rite gut wiping half the time but at 100 in a 55 is about 5.5k rpm so no problems there lol

ps you can't break these engines so don't worry about using the entire rev range

 

[stayinfly]

thanks for ya help lads, i replaced the rocker gasket today and sealed it well and truely tight, and jet washed the oil that had leaked over the engine away.

I filled the oil up again, and for the first time since ive had the car I could get a reading on my dip stick (before it just looked like there was no oil in it at all!) so thats always and encouraging sign.

had a look just now though, and it seams like the oil is seeping through the metal tank looking thing that is immediately beneath the gasket? (I havent managed to get a pic, but you have the air filter, then a metal lid, then the gasket, and then a metal base below it) And it seams to be seeping through that part??

But, since replacing the gasket, the car starts alot better and drives alot better, but just wish I could fix it once and for all as I worry alot and just think my cars guna die lol

thanks again lads

 

[The Sultan]

the metal part below you speak of is the cylinder head it contains the camshaft and valves and is bolted to the cylinder block

now i have seen one of these on a fairly new car that turned out to be pourus and was allowing oil to pass right through it but to properly diagnose this you need to get the hole engine properly clean and i mean really clean so you can say for sure were the oil is actually coming from

also have you looked under the front of the car yet to inspect the oil sump

it's always weird were oil can end up on engines due to the air rushing around the engine bay carying it about

 

[Thomas_Si]

I know when my head gasket went I had oil seeping out between the head and the block.

Mine was seeping out from No.1 cylinder on the left hand corner at the front.

A noise like an old man wheezing around the leak could indicate a blown gasket as well.

Do you have any problems with overheating?

Check around your oild filter as well as the sump as already mentioned.

Best bet is to get a degreaser such as gunk or Autoglym Engine & Machine cleaner & an old paint brush. Spray it all over the oily bits work up and rinse off.

Once you have everything off you can see where the new stuff is coming from.

Then stick a pic up and we will see what we can do

 

[stayinfly]

alright guys, I think Ive added the picture?? Well I attached it anyway so it should be there, obviously the arrow points to where the oil seams to seap from.

And this is following a thorough wash of the engine, jet washed it clean yday and refilled the oil, and it gradually leaks from there?

Also, Havent checked the sump gasket, not aware where it is! Thing is I havent really got the money to be gettin a mechanic in, so if its too technical Im not guna be able to sort it lol

 

[The Sultan]

it all still looks a bit muky so cant say for sure you sure it's not just coming down from the rocker cover still

also i see you still have a plastic cover over your ignition coils this should be removed as they cause coils to overheat

fiat released a service news about it years ago

 

[stayinfly]

yeh the picture was taken before I cleaned it or even replaced the gasket as i was showing some else the problem, but where the arrow points to is the exact place where the oil seaps through now. Its a thin line which hasnt increased for 3 days, I'll try and put a pic up soon of how it looks now

And what shall i do about the plastic cover, just take it off and leave it exposed? To be honest I duno where ya talkin about lol

 

[Sparky1483]

yeh the picture was taken before I cleaned it or even replaced the gasket as i was showing some else the problem, but where the arrow points to is the exact place where the oil seaps through now. Its a thin line which hasnt increased for 3 days, I'll try and put a pic up soon of how it looks now

And what shall i do about the plastic cover, just take it off and leave it exposed? To be honest I duno where ya talkin about lol

the plastic cover to the right of your arrow on the right side of the engine, take it off

this bit circled

 

[stayinfly]

right so in the pic, u got the air filter, the rocker gasket and the manifold of the engine beneath that.......and on the right hand side of all this (creeping in from the left hand side of the picture) Is a black object, simply just remove that??

thanks for your advice mate

 

[stayinfly]

right so in the pic, u got the air filter, the rocker gasket and the manifold of the engine beneath that.......and on the right hand side of all this (creeping in from the left hand side of the picture) Is a black object, simply just remove that??

thanks for your advice mate

haha sorry dint see the pic you uploaded, ok mate will do

 

[Sparky1483]

right so in the pic, u got the air filter, the rocker gasket and the manifold of the engine beneath that.......and on the right hand side of all this (creeping in from the left hand side of the picture) Is a black object, simply just remove that??

thanks for your advice mate

look up...piccy

too fast for each other lol! ;D

 

[The Sultan]

ok ill be awaiting some new pics of the problem

if there is definitely no oil above below and to the side of the leak then it could well be a pourus head

 

[stayinfly]

There ya go lads, as you can see it appears just to seap through the areas the arrows point to......so where chall we go from here?

Also why do I have to remove the plastic cover from the ignition coils? Just to reduce the overheating risk? And literally I jus remove the cover, dont need to replace it with anything else?

yet again thanks for ya help lol

 

[rover220]

oil doesnt seem to be coming from higher up so possible cracked head???

though a little birdy on here says its impossible to break these engines...

 

[The Sultan]

oil doesnt seem to be coming from higher up so possible cracked head???

though a little birdy on here says its impossible to break these engines...

who would that be then

 

[The Sultan]

ok i have highlighted on the picture what looks to me like some cracks around the bolt hole in the head can you check these out i have seen this area crack before normally due to tight bolts as the only way to get them undone if they seize due to lack of use is to give them a sharp tap on top

but people an go over the top with that tap

as for cracks anywhere else i doubt that would happen not unaded anyway

pourus and cracked are 2 different things you must remember pourus means the oil finds it's way through badly cast metal and is normally present from new but can go unnoticed due to the smal amount of oil it allows out

but looking at your car that much oil in such a short period i would be looking for cracks

if the head is ok were i pointed to have a look at the underside of the cover around the bolt holes again as over tightened bolts could also crack it here al thou i doubt this as it's dry from the seal downwards then it starts to get wet with oil

god pictures buy the way makes it very easy for us to tell you what to look for

 

[stayinfly]

Ok I shall have a look for cracks etc tomorrow when its light, but whether it be cracked or pourus.....what sorta price I be lookin at to simply replace it with a new one??

And there's further bad news, had a major water leak the other day, first time Ive had one put Ive posted the problem with pics in the punto section (got told off for starting this one here) I duno if any of you would have any clues?? Cheeky to ask but your advice on this has been sound

 

[stayinfly]

got 3 different garage opinions, all said head gasket is gone, sooooooo prices? I got quoted 450 first time without vat, i rung around tho and ders a garage willing to do it 282 including work and vat, plus a timmin belt and water bottle etc tht comes wif a head gasket change, good price you lot think or should I keep looking?