Okay people, where do you think this damned oil is coming from? I'm thinking the seal from the crankshaft at the gearbox as nothing is on my sump. Annoying as the engine rebuild company did that bit. Only started leaking now as I have finally got her started. Thoughts please, solutions welcome too It's an 86 8 valve golf gti, gwendoline. I'm putting this separate post up in the hope of a broad opinion
Is there a plate which covers the bottom of the back of the gearbox where the flywheel is? If so you could remove it and see if there is oil inside the bell housing. If there is then it is likely the main seal, as you suggest. This would explain no oil on the sump.
Can you smell (taste!) the oil to see if it's gearbox or engine? There's 2x seals in the bell housing, a small one the pushrod passes through and a larger one the shaft itself does.
Pretty sure it is the engine oil. The car has been in the same position for months and I haven't even engaged the clutch yet. This only appeared since the car has been running. Gutted after getting this far!
IMO they are pretty reliable but a little tricky to fit ,I take my time and always really careful to make sure the seal lip is evenly on the crank before tapping the seal in, the tension spring can pop off if the lip isn't right or there isn't enough oil to help it on its way. I can only presume it wasn't fitted correctly....sad to say ,cheers
Gear oil's got a mank all of its own, a sniff should ID it so as to rule it in or out. I'm just thinking back to your weep from the green end cap. If it wasn't fitted 100% during the refurb., there's always the possibility of other errors too... ill fitting / torn seals for example? Might it have ended up inadvertently overfilled too? You'll maybe remember the post about pre/post '87 end casings and how they can be swopped about / overflow hole position change as a consequence? I know you've not had its internals working yet but could it maybe still be enough for it to weep? If it is engine oil I'd a couple of small ones just after initial start up. One was because the rocker cover stud on the corner of the head (where the earth strap to the coil also attaches) wasn't screwed into the head itself quite enough. Meant oil could escape despite the cover / gasket being properly tightened down The (blue) oil pressure sensor also had a drip till it too was nipped up further. The Peugeot occasionally gets leaks out of the blue, for no obvious reason. I find them hard to track down as oil seems to flow in unexpected directions, following joints and other contours ending up as a drip somewhere away from the source! Rule out the less serious possibilities until it being the crank seal is the only option left.
Yeah, first thing is to determine whether it’s gearbox oil or engine oil and that really narrows it down. If it is engine oil start at the cam cover gasket looking all the way around the engine and work methodically from top to bottom as where ever it’s coming from it will be running down the block to eventually drip from the lowest part of the engine which is where you photo that drip. Remove the timing belt cover to inspect camshaft and intermediate shaft oil seals as oil will run down from there and look just like a crankshaft oil seal leak. Those 3 oil seals are exactly the same. It is a bit disappointing but as a far as a hiccup goes on a freshly built engine goes it’s not bad. At least she didn’t throw a rod or something like that.
I have had a look around but not higher up, so will, thanks. I filled the gearbox and can remember us all having the discussion of the earlier box having the extra. I did measure what I put in so happy with that. 100% sure it is engine oil. I will keep tweaking and looking until the dreaded crank seal. Slow progress now and it would be a result to find something else.
100% sure my arse....Today I decided it was D-day and to get the gearbox off. In the process the oil was smelling bad, just like gearbox oil, so. I removed the driveshafts thinking this will make it very easy, but it was still a pig. 3hrs in and the gearbox was on the floor. It was very obvious the leak was from the main seal. Shame when I paid good money for a company in Nottingham to do this. Anyway, I rang.a local company in Sheffield and he said bring it down so I can order you the correct seal. What a brilliant company, great service, clean and organised doing lots of gearboxes aswell as ones ready to go on the racking. MISTER GEARBOX. Straight away he said I had the wrong size one in, a 16v one for a wider input shaft. 5 mins he had changed it for me too, so home I went. Gearbox cleaned up and it was time to have the fight refitting it all on my own, the swine. But it is on and fitted. A few scratches here and there to sort out and I still need to refit the driveshafts. I will do a complete oil change on it, again. Just to make sure it has the correct amount in. Thanks for the input everyone
Well that’s not the seal I was expecting it to be but I’m glad it is sorted. I hope you claim something back from the original builder.
Great perseverance and determination shown here. Not an easy job working on your Todd! Glad you’re sorted.
I genuinely can't understand how the first company didn't catch that. At least you can pull the seal without splitting the cases. Did the first lot do a full rebuild?.
Yes they did Not worth the effort trying to get anything back off them. I still haven't got it to a driving point, so I hope it is just that issue
