General my ongoing oil leak - 2 fixed but found a 3rd....

[levemircento]

I had an oil leak too the other day! It seemed to be coming from the cam cover gasket, I had one in already so changed it, and did an oil & filter change at the same time, I then found out it was the filler cap leaking as it had gone brittle and part of it broke off, have made a temporary fix until i get another

I degreased all the leaked oil off, and it hasnt appeared since. I am just in the middle of swapping rear arms over, guide with loads of pics coming any day now!!

Nik

 

[rallycinq]

If the engine is worn and there is a bit of excess pressure in the crankcase and/or the breather is obstructed, then oil will weep past seals as they are not designed to hold that sort of pressure.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Diwiak]

oil is over crank pulley so probably that ring is gone, iam stupid i didnt change it last time i had pulley off, it wont be a difficult job

hm there is a bit pressure when oil cap removed, but also have induction kit with breather filter

checked timing belt through top cover and its clean

looks like if it could leak through 20 places, it will - and if u fix 18 of them still will be last 2 leaking - iam not longer wondering whyis there coarse cushion under

btw. whats the cause of high pressure??

 

[rallycinq]

btw. whats the cause of high pressure??

Combution pressure passing the rings due to worn rings or bore wear.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Diwiak]

removed alternator for better view-looks like also some oil getting out from oil level stick-it wasnt holding in place very firmly, so wrapped with tape,

worse thing i cleaned alternator lightly with petrol (because was coverd in oil) and now it starts whistle badly - any idea how to save it???? could a bit of petrol did something to bearings..????? its moving freely, before and now too, just that sound.and new belt is there
when I turn on all electircity it downed revs for while

also i have spare alternator from 899-but it looks different

 

[rallycinq]

The revs are supposed to drop when you put all the electrics on, its the 'back EMF'.

That is the increase in the amount of force the engine needs to turn the alternator while producing high currents.

The whistle could be a cooling fan blade out of position. You didn't knock one taking it off or putting it back on.

The 899 alternator is different.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Diwiak]

disconnect leads, remove it and clean with brush and petrol thats all-and slightly scrape with screwdriver but only outside-fan is so sensitive to touching???? how are bearings covered?? is there some ring seal or what?? couldnt any petrol get inside??? because when iam cleaning engine and start theres similar whistle sund but only for secs

 

[rallycinq]

The whistle could be an air leak from the induction.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Diwiak]

no oil leak at the moment after 50miles done, looks it was major leak at oil stick.

sound is going away slowly, now ist much less, it was alternator thats for sure(starts whistle/squeal when closing both el. windows-sometimes), maybe somehow petrol enterd bearings or what

when you spray water onto alternator (when jet cleaning, driving thorugh splash, etc.) whats making that terible sound??? water get onto bearings???? (noticed on lot of cars)

 

[rallycinq]

Usually the belt slipping on the pulley is the source of that dreadful squealing sound.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Diwiak]

new??? properly tensioned?? hm..

 

[rallycinq]

new??? properly tensioned?? hm..

Water on the belt will cause it to slip. remember that when you spin an alternator off the car its not connected to anything so spins easily. If the alternator is working hard then its needs a lot of force to turn it.

Dare I suggest that if there are puddles about it might be raining, so the wipers are on, possibly the lights and heater too.

Hence the squeal, if the belt is a bit worn or a bit loose.

You also don't want the belt too tight, that will knacker the alternator bearings.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Pep0]

when you spray water onto alternator (when jet cleaning, driving thorugh splash, etc.) whats making that terible sound??? water get onto bearings???? (noticed on lot of cars)

Either the belt is too loose or the pulleys and the belt are contiminated with gum/rubber debris, water would not help, but the belt will be dry most of time unless you ford a river...

Try rubbing Redex (or kerosine heating oil) on the belt applied with rag soaked in Redex may cure the noise!

It this does not try the belt a little tighter, it does not need to be tight like a guitar string merely not so slack, it is too easy to damage an alternator bearing , and even a rebuild with new bearings is expensive but a new one ooooooh.

Noel

 

[Diwiak]

cleaned pulleys with petrol and brush, new clean belt, tightened properly, (when belt pushed in middle of its length, wont go more than 1-1.5cm) when cold fine, when hot it starts squeak again.. its not so loud but its making me nervous:bang:

u mean redex like something to clean injector??? i had some petrol treat but its gone now. i dont know what oil you ment or where could i buy it

 

[rallycinq]

Yup, he means redex the petrol additive. It softens hard rubber, to provide a better grip.

Silly thought, take the alternator belt off and run the car till its hot just to make sure it is the alternator thats squeaking.

Cheers

SPD

 

[Pep0]

Silly thought,

Hi David (sic excellent) thought.

Queries for Diwiak

i) when you cleaned the alternator in petrol did you also clean the cam belt tensioner in petrol? - The tensioner is a only wipe with soft dry clean rag...
ii) hope you use rubber gloves when handling petrol.

Noel

 

[Diwiak]

no way, when removed timing belt only cleaned engine block with petrol to remove oil, none touching tensioner-petrols not good for bearings

tightened properly, started engine, none a squeak.
then added alt. belt, tensioned, and that sound starts at specific revs

-
now check alt. belt for cleaness again, check alt. pulley-moving freely, quietly, withou play, tension belt again properly, start engine none a squeak, when gets warm starts squeaking at idle and to 2k

-
maybe petrol entered alt. bearings and degrease them could it be???

-
sometimes iam using gloves sometimes not -why??? petrols fine, brake fluid is much worse

 

[Pep0]

The ternsioner bearings are more exposed than the alternator bearings, if you merely swabbed the alternator with a petrol soaked rag or paint brush you should be ok.

Though I would not have recommended.

I think you have to try without the alternator belt to eliminate the alternator bearings, as SPD suggests. The alternator bearings should be perfect like the tensioner bearing, e.g. if you loosed off the belt tension and try rotating by hand, but they still might squeak/squeal under load.

Has the car been left unused for a long interval? That would compromise the grease in the bearings.

Are either the alternator belt or cam belt likely to touch anything i.e. are there any close clearances, e.g. with the plastic covers etc?

Petrol is not as bad as anti freeze but I'd not recommend it to worst enemy. If you are working with used engine oil or surfaces contiminated with used engine oil you should be wearing gloves and barrier cream.

Noel

 

[Pep0]

If you think it is the alternator then I'd ring around auto electrical shops for a bearing replacment cost. I'd chack that the brushes were ok first.

You need to be good with a puller and hot gun/cold spray to dissassemble an alternator and reassemble it.

Noel

 

[Diwiak]

so checked it today, made a test-sprayed a small bit of WD40 onto alt. belt and no change, also tried to move timing belt plastic cover(if theres not some touch to crank pulley)-no change, check timing belt, bit warm but not greasy or loose

there is bad connection of that thin lead to alternator(sometimes battery control light on dash is not working) - couldnt be a cause of squeaking alternator???

iam thinking if its not some resonating sound(maybe that sheet in rocker cover is humping inside???)because its mostly at specific revs (had strange sound year-two ago but it was lower timing belt cover touching pulley)

check videos if u could help: