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Jacked up the car today to do the supercharger pulley, and I find that the car is dripping oil and is soaked all around the edges of the oil pan into the lower engine mount. I thought that it was power steering fluid, but since I had the hoses replaced it's definitely oil seeping out from somewhere. I changed the lower engine mount since one of the rubber bits was torn, and both long bolts were soaked in oil on the threads.
I have a new crank position sensor seal ready to go in, but maybe the oil pan gasket is leaking as well? I just changed the oil too around 600 miles ago so maybe I'll wait till I have to change it again to do the oil pan gasket.
Jacked up the car today to do the supercharger pulley, and I find that the car is dripping oil and is soaked all around the edges of the oil pan into the lower engine mount. I thought that it was power steering fluid, but since I had the hoses replaced it's definitely oil seeping out from somewhere. I changed the lower engine mount since one of the rubber bits was torn, and both long bolts were soaked in oil on the threads.
I have a new crank position sensor seal ready to go in, but maybe the oil pan gasket is leaking as well? I just changed the oil too around 600 miles ago so maybe I'll wait till I have to change it again to do the oil pan gasket.
I'd recommend cleaning as much of the oil off as you can. That way you can watch exactly where the oil is coming from. How many miles on the car? At some point many of the gaskets will leak and need to be changed. Common ones that make a mess all over the bottom of the motor are: oil filter housing, oil pan, oil cooler o-rings, and apparently the crank sensor o-ring leak can blow back on the bottom of the pan.
Take a look at the journal thread in my signature for some pictures on all these jobs (except the crank sensor o-ring).
I'd recommend cleaning as much of the oil off as you can. That way you can watch exactly where the oil is coming from. How many miles on the car? At some point many of the gaskets will leak and need to be changed. Common ones that make a mess all over the bottom of the motor are: oil filter housing, oil pan, oil cooler o-rings, and apparently the crank sensor o-ring leak can blow back on the bottom of the pan.
Take a look at the journal thread in my signature for some pictures on all these jobs (except the crank sensor o-ring).
It has 155k and some change on the odometer. So those gaskets are most likely due for a change. I figured it was the power steering fluid that was the majority of the leak, but apparently not.
It has 155k and some change on the odometer. So those gaskets are most likely due for a change. I figured it was the power steering fluid that was the majority of the leak, but apparently not.
I changed the valve cover gasket recently too.
Yeah, makes sense. I'd clean the bottom of the motor off first and investigate what is actually leaking to help prioritize the work. Then you can decide how many of the other seals you want to change preventively.
Is this your daily driver? If not, seals aren't very expensive, and if your handy with tools it's a good experience to get to know your R53 on a personal level. When I first bought mine, I replaced practically all the gaskets and hoses, minus the head gasket. Not a single leak since. They are a money pit, and I knew this going into it, but its so much fun to drive. I get most of my adrenaline rush on my bike, but this is the best thing on four wheels for street fun.
Is this your daily driver? If not, seals aren't very expensive, and if your handy with tools it's a good experience to get to know your R53 on a personal level. When I first bought mine, I replaced practically all the gaskets and hoses, minus the head gasket. Not a single leak since. They are a money pit, and I knew this going into it, but its so much fun to drive. I get most of my adrenaline rush on my bike, but this is the best thing on four wheels for street fun.
Yeah it is. It's just difficult to find time to work on it, I might just end up having my local shop put the new gaskets in place once I get all of them. I wonder if it'd make sense to replace the oil pan itself since it's so old.
I noticed that it seemed a little wet on the passenger side valve cover gasket, where the cover dips down for the cam (I think?) even though that gasket is pretty much brand new. Maybe I didn't tighten the valve cover bolts enough, but they are on very tight already.
EDIT: Anyone know what the correct seal is for the oil cooler? Or a P/N?
I might just end up having my local shop put the new gaskets in place once I get all of them. I wonder if it'd make sense to replace the oil pan itself since it's so old.
Oh get ready...
Maybe I didn't tighten the valve cover bolts enough, but they are on very tight already.
Or they were over- or unevenly tightened. Should be 9 ft-lb / 12N-m.
EDIT: Anyone know what the correct seal is for the oil cooler? Or a P/N?
I was tightening down one of the (new) long valve cover bolts to the correct spec, when the torque wrench just started moving loosely. Turned out the lower half of the bolt snapped and is now stuck in the engine. This was a brand new genuine mini part from FCP. Now I have a snapped bolt in my head.
I ran the car for a few minutes and no leakage from the valve cover. But still that god damn bolt is stuck in there.
Yikes, thread might had gunk in their and not clean. Try to tap it out and clean the threads? Can you reach it with a tap out?
Im not even sure how to extract a broken bolt, I saw harbor freight sells a screw extractor/left hand bit set. I guess I would just drill into the bolt, but then what after making a hole? Thread another drill bit in and unscrew it?
Some of the valve cover bolts can be pushed through (strange design). Take a look and see if it is one that you can feel the bolt from below. If not, extractor or drill and tap is your next best bet.
Some of the valve cover bolts can be pushed through (strange design). Take a look and see if it is one that you can feel the bolt from below. If not, extractor or drill and tap is your next best bet.
Its the upper right bolt (next to the air intake), I took it to the shop today to see if they can get it out. It was definitely too deep in there for a tap, hopefully they’re able to get at it...
Thanks for the help, my mechanic was able to get it out so all is good now. Also he pointed out that the oil pressure switch is leaking, so I think that's at least one culprit in the oil leakage.
He didn't really say, but he had a Snap-on center punch tool in the engine bay so I assume he was able to tap it out somehow with that tool and back the bolt out.
A left hand drill will usually pull it out... assuming you can get a pilot hole drilled so it can bite on something. When I tried this my problem was the drill would loosen the chuck and the bit would become loose.
