Hi,

I have had a serious oil leak. The dealer said it is the oil filter housing gasket,
$650. I saw online the gasket is $25. I can't find in the Bentley manual directions to change this, and how much stuff needs to be taken off. Does anybody know what to do? It seems not that bad? Does the car need to go
into the "service position"? I've done this and man is it time consuming.

They also said my control arm bushing is leaking. It is best to replace these
in pairs. I found the parts online. What I am not sure about is do I need to replace the ball joint as well? Because it is my experience that when you undo the weight on an old ball joint if it is worn out you can't get it back on because the stud spins (unless you use the drill a hole put a screw in method).

I don't want to use this method.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Yes, always in pairs for the ball joints. You just need to jack the suspension back to its ride height. With the preload in the suspension the ball joints should fit right back in.

And is there any way they didn't quote you $65 for the oil filter housing gasket. It is the same gasket that is changed during an oil and filter service. Could just need to be tightened.

 

Hi,

Due to the labor involved with the Control Arm Bushings, we highly recommend replacing both while in there. The parts are about $100each, but labor is far more expensive and time consuming. It is worth it to do both at one time. As for ball joints, We only every replace a ball joint that has failed. If it is just the control arm bushing that has failed, there is no need to replace the ball joints.

The oil filter housing gasket is NOT replaced at each oil service(that is the o-ring inside the filter housing cap that is replaced with the oil change). The filter housing gasket is the gasket between the housing and the block.

We offer all these parts at 15% off MINI list pricing. We offer the control arm bushings with the brackets so you wont need a press to press them out. Slightly more expensive than just the bushings, but you save time and money on labor doing it this way.

Control arm bushings:

Left: http://www.minipartsmass.com/parts/i...&siteid=215989
Right: http://www.minipartsmass.com/parts/i...&siteid=215989

The oil filter housing gasket for the 07 hatchback would be:

http://www.minipartsmass.com/parts/i...&siteid=215989

Cat gaskets are as follows:

Upper: http://www.minipartsmass.com/parts/i...&siteid=215989
Lower: http://www.minipartsmass.com/parts/i...&siteid=215989

Let us know if you have any questions, we would be happy to try to help out! Thanks!

 

They said it was the place where the metal housing that holds the filter where it connects to the engine block. I have not found a decent view yet. I got a written estimate $650.

But the last time I got an estimate there it was for a cam actuator. $1200.
It took me 10 minutes to change out.

I don't mind paying them when it is fair - like them replacing my hub thing.

But I have a duty to be an aware consumer.

 

Thanks. Just saw your post after I posted.
It is the oil filter housing to block gasket.
Is it a job I can do myself? Do I need extra parts. As an example, do I need
to take the exhaust off, or other stuff?

I have an 07 hatch. They said the control arm bushing is leaking. $350 to do one,
and they said I don't have to replace both at once. Which is a red flag to me on that.
I've rebuilt suspension before and I know always to do both sides.

The control arm bushings seem much easier to do than the oil housing gasket.
But I can't find directions or a picture to do it.

 

Service mode, remove DP and heat shields in order to access the block. You need to drain the oil AND coolant for this job as BOTH run through the housing. $650 is fair, but you can definitely so it yourself.

 

As Ian stated, you have to remove the down pipes to access the filter housing so it would be recommened to replace the cat convertor gaskets as well. Since your car is a hatch, the wrong parts were linked above. I have edited these for you and added the cat gaskets as well!

However, The fact that the shop said the control arm bushing is leaking should be a cause for concern because they are not fluid filled. I would get a second opinion someplace else if i were you.

 

Can I get my hands up inside where that housing is and tighten ever so slightly?

I had this work for the leaking oil pan.

Thanks for the advice though.

I will ponder having them do it at this point. I've had it in the service
mode three times this year.

I'm a single daddy of a three year old. It's hard to get to big jobs like that.

 

I have small hands. Any chance of doing this with small hands without the service position?

 

Not without bending your heat shields and risking not being able to reinstall them.

 

I may just pay. I have a lot of things going on with work and home right now.
Things that can't be put off.

 

Sneed speed has a video on youtube on a short cut for changing the oil housing plate through the rad fan. There installing there oil cooler plate but the same principle applies.

Works well and saves a bunch of time.

 

Does it take less time to remove the bumper, the FMIC, and radiator than service mode and remove the DP? Both sound like way more work than giving a technician some $.

 

Wait. I considered putting in the service position the removal of all the
bumper stuff. I've done that three times in 2013.

I'm a single daddy of a three year old.....

 

You unclip the bumper from the sides, you remove two plates from the bumper, unscrew a LOT of bolts, and hammer the front bumper support forward two inches. You don't have to remove the bumper, but that's a very small amount of extra work at that point.

 

For some reason it seems to take me a couple hours on and a couple hours off, at least.
But I was working on other things and lost track of time (water pump and thermostat, then later the radiator).

I'll think on it a bit.
It seems I need the exhaust gasket as well.

 

OK I misunderstood. Just the bumper not the lights and the bar and stuff.

 

All depends how long it takes you to make that money.

 

In my case it's really worth it because I have a $300 deductible on an extended warranty. My car is in the shop for an oil leak that I suspect is the oil filter gasket.

 

I did the oil filter housing gaskets (and oil cooler gaskets, and turbo oil/return line, since they are right there). My oil filter gasket had actually split, so tightening it would not have solved the issue. I did not go into service mode, and the worst part is removing and reinstalling the heat shields. Took me about 4 hours, and I had experience removing the heat shields once before. I have some pictures in the 'Modifications:How To' area.

If you have not replaced the turbo oil line yet, you should definitely do this at the same time. These lines will leak at the turbo.

To buy the parts (turbo oil line, turbo drain line (mine was crusty with crap inside), oil filter housing gaskets, oil cooler gasket, oil filter, oil, coolant, distilled water, turbo/dp gasket, dp/exhaust clamp), you are probably looking at $250-$300. Service mode will give you more room to get the heat shields off, but not required. Have a variety of wrenches (combination and ratcheting, 10 mm), sockets, and extensions, and plan on 6 hours of work.

If you have the dealer do the work, have them replace the oil lines as well, the additional labor will be almost nothing.

Also, check if your coolant reservoir is leaking, mine had a crack on the bottom.

I can appreciate having no time to work, but make sure you enjoy your family. They are only young for a short time.

Have fun,
mike