Technical Gearbox oil leak?

[ronnieronson]

Just discovered what I can only assume to be some kind of gearbox oil leak.

Bearing in mind that I've just had the head gasket done, and all associated work, a new C/B and bearing, and a full service.

Checked the oil at the leak - smells a little worse than the engine oil, and is thick and dark (unlike the engine oil which is runny and golden ).

Tried to trace the leak - but it seems to be purely on the widest barrel part of the box, from about three quarters of the way up (working from the center at the bottom).
I think it's coming from this region here:

Going to take it to the garage next wednesday anyway, to get my tires swopped onto my new wheels, and have my exhaust fitted - just wondering if anyone has any pearls of wisdom for me to investigate with in the meantime?

 

[randomizered]

Thats the clutch cable arm and there is no oil in there, just a hole with the clutch plate, bearing, etc.

If that IS full of oil and leaking out its seriously fooked lol

The black plastic bit is an inspection and timing hole, you can have a peer in if you like.

The leak may be from somewhere else, but being on the top of the box like that it seems unlikely it gearstink oil, unless its being kicked about a lot, or traveling up via capillary action.

Check the two drain/fill plugs...one is on the front side of the box, the other by the rear gearbox mount.

degrease/gunk and pressure was it all so its lovely and clean in there, then it may be more easy to spot where it is coming from.

Kristian


EDIT - is that sheen on the connector in the top picture oil as well?

 

[ronnieronson]

Taken a look inside as you suggested - nice and clean in there

Yeah the "sheen" as you put it is oil (just checked) - so now I'm thinking it's coming from somewhere higher up - but I just can't see anything that looks like it's leaking
Granted it's a wee bit hard to actually see anything in there due to the small amount of space to work in...

The car drives well - no wierd behaviour other than the fan cutting in a lot on odd occasions, but that seems to be calming down now.
She judders a little on idle - and this is usually only when the fan has been cutting in a lot - but I'm putting that down to the replacement H/G still bedding in.

 

[woj]

I do, correct me if I am wrong. I would not say it's a "strict" gearbox oil leak, gearboxes leak at the bottom or at the driveshafts, if you are sure that is gearbox oil. What is on the pictures is the clutch bellhousing. So if the oil is coming from there (either the rubber black dummy plug or the clutch arm) then it is either:

- the clutch shaft leaking the gearbox oil

- the engine leaking oil at the flywheel

in both cases the clutch/clutch shaft spitting the oil up.

But... I doubt as this will cause your clutch to fail and also I guess you would smell the oil burning on the clutch on friction. In any case it would be a much bigger mess considering the oil is making all the way up to the top of the bellhousing and through it. So two more possibilities:

1. oil leaking from the top of the engine (cam shaft cover or something) dripping down the engine. Usually you don't see the way it drips down, only the "collection site".

2. a bit too much oil in the gear box (you said you had some servicing done...), in which case it escapes through a valve on top of the gearbox (at least in my CCS). If this indeed is the case this will stop in a while. Everytime I change my gearbox oil (quite often due too all the adventures with it) I get the same, but then the whole top of the gearbox is slightly sprayed with oil.

In any case judging from the pics I bet on option number 1.

Cheers,

Woj

 

[randomizered]

after doing my head gasket, I had oil leaking from there (the block to head join)!! I drove and ran fine but lost a lot of oil from the join....sure you'd see if that was it though.

 

[woj]

You guys are beating me up to it I spent too much time writing up the post

 

[ronnieronson]

Hmmmm.... thinking that both of those may be an option Woj - in either case the car seems to be running fine enough.

Like I say though - will get them to check it out at the garage on Wednesday

Doesn't seem to be losing oil from the dipstick side of things, so hopefully this is nothing serious...

 

[Italian Coke Can]

Thats a oil weep, not an oil leak!

 

[ronnieronson]

Thats a oil weep, not an oil leak!

enlighten me... it's all bad in my book - don't like oil anywhere where it shouldn't be!

 

[Brooky]

could it be running down from the coils....the o-rings i have seen are always cracked and damaged.

 

[Brooky]

and if it is coming from the flywheel housing....well thats v.bad,it should never get in there as it will lead to clutch failure

 

[Italian Coke Can]

What i'm saying is that it's hardly gushing out. As said, clean it all up and trace where it's coming from.

 

[ronnieronson]

10 points to Tom - you are indeed correct matey! Coil Packs it is!



Scheduled for repair as part of free maintenance on Wednesday
Along with the customisation and fitting of my Cinq Remus 3" Exhaust, and the balancing and fitting of my newly painted black and silver Abarth alloys

Watch this space

 

[Ffoxy]

Coil Packs leaking oil down there?

I dont understand can someone help me?

I would have sworn it looks like someone sprayed some chain lube around the clutch actuation lever to help it move nice 'n easy?

 

[Brooky]

10 points to Tom - you are indeed correct matey! Coil Packs it is!

Woooooooooooo yeah

 

[ronnieronson]

Coil Packs leaking oil down there?

I dont understand can someone help me?

I would have sworn it looks like someone sprayed some chain lube around the clutch actuation lever to help it move nice 'n easy?

nope - just poor quality cameraphone pics I'm afraid - the small pool of oil outside my house is testament to that

I think what's happened is that when they did the H/G, the rubber seal used has been a wee bit too big, and a bulge has formed at the coil end of the block, which is why the oil is coming from there.

It's all good though - at least it's getting fixed fee free

Woot!
:slayer:

Would love to give you a prize Tom.... but I won't :yum:

Well done though
:worship:

 

[woj]

Funny enough, I was just replacing this coil pack o-ring a few months back, but my leakage was not collecting on the bellhousing, was probably smaller than yours. That would be a good bet and I would win your non-prize, too late now

Cheers,

Woj

 

[randomizered]

hymol blue and 2 minutes will fix that then...nice and easy

 

[Brooky]

Would love to give you a prize Tom.... but I won't :yum: