Technical 1.2 16v cam carrier (rocker cover) gasket?

[homeward]

Stupidly, I posted this in the How reliable has your Punto been? thread... :bang:

I've never had anything actually go majorly wrong with my Punto, in nearly two years of ownership, during which I've covered 17,000 miles (now at 96k)...

If these turn out to be famous last words, I shall, of course, cry....

...only to go out to the car, earlier (it having been parked up since Friday lunchtime), to find this:



Opening up the bonnet revealed this:





My best guess is that it's the corner of the cam carrier gasket (what passes for a rocker cover on these stupidly complicated 16v engines… -- never again...) -- which means it’s going to be a veritable PITA to sort.... (It appears too high to be coming from either the oil filter or oil pressure switch... -- but, as it's currently pouring down with rain, I can't be bothered to remove the air filter box, etc. to have a closer look....)

The question is, therefore, is "My best guess" correct?

I shall be taking it back to the garage that replaced the HG, last July (8,000 miles ago), in the next couple of days; and getting their thoughts, of course -- but would just like everyone's opinion on here, before I do.... Thanks! :worship:

 

[Ziggy122]

Spray some cleaner down there to wash it off

Bolt it down tighter lol

Replace the 8v's and that leaks again, so i give up!

Ziggy

 

[oldhammer]

Clean it up best you can,
and keep your eye on it..

Dont try & tighten the head extension down. the bolts might strip and result in further problems,

if its leaking from the headextension gasket you need to take it back,


see if you can get a better picture up once the weather gets better.

 

[dave]

are you sure you didnt spill any last time you topped up or filler cap leaking?

 

[homeward]

are you sure you didnt spill any last time you topped up or filler cap leaking?

No, it's clean on that side (i.e. the back) -- this is all on the front....

 

[dave]

just a little seepage

 

[oldhammer]

Are you sure its not water running off with the ming off side of the engine?

have you been topping up the coolant lately?

 

[homeward]

Are you sure its not water running off with the ming off side of the engine?

have you been topping up the coolant lately?

Coolant is fine. If it's the HG so soon again (if that's what you're implying), she'll be up for sale, however much I've already spent on her....

Looks and feels like oil, though: and she's used just under half a litre since Christmas... -- when, normally, she doesn't use any.... Oil filler cap is also clean....

 

[oldhammer]

Coolant is fine. If it's the HG so soon again (if that's what you're implying), she'll be up for sale, however much I've already spent on her....

Looks and feels like oil, though: and she's used just under half a litre since Christmas... -- when, normally, she doesn't use any.... Oil filler cap is also clean....

(Coolant is fine. If it's the HG so soon again (if that's what you're implying)

Am iheck no,

iwas refering to topping up the coolant as in Have you bled it recently.

its easy to splash water on front of engine, ido it myself at times,

is what iwas getting at,


There is no old war stories about headgasket failiures here,

 

[homeward]

if its leaking from the headextension gasket you need to take it back,

Garage is going to take a look, tomorrow. I shall report back....

 

[oldhammer]

Garage is going to take a look, tomorrow. I shall report back....

good luck mate, idont think its serious problem,

FWIW mine uses adrop of oil, and its a rebuilt engine,

10w40 semi synth, seems to help, ive just changed over to selenia oil from the main stealers, if it spits that out it wont be getting any more of that at that price,

 

[oldhammer]

Looks like ive been jinxed.

been out checking the oil in mine, all the back of the engine is soaked.

Had alook at the sump of which is 10mths old and its rotten,so im not sure if the leak is on the sump and the oil is blowing upwards,

metal water rail is rotten too,just where pipe jubilee clips on to it,
another part that was bought new, no leak here yet but it wont be long away.

 

[homeward]

Looks like ive been jinxed.

Sorry to hear that... -- I hope you get it fixed soon.... :hug:

 

[oldhammer]

Cheers mate,
iwill get it sorted eventualy, the sump as miffed me off,
im sure these things are made in china out of old ford cortina's,

there cheap to replace but a nightmare to get off,


goodluck with yours anyway mate, ihope its not the headextension gasket
or owt serious, fingers crossed here 4 ya,

 

[gijohn2]

Leaky oil filter?

 

[atom0007]

I think the lesson in this thread is just never to check

 

[homeward]

just a little seepage

so im not sure if the leak is on the sump and the oil is blowing upwards...

Leaky oil filter?

Well, in the ten minutes I had spare, earlier, I took the air filter box off, and then stuck my bonce under the front. Not so sure I came to any real conclusions, though.... :chin:

The oil filter is tight and clean. (Over to you, dave -- please insert (oh no, missus) inappropriate comment, here...!)

The freshest oil is from above the exhaust manifold, down to the crank position sensor and oil pressure switch (I didn't get a chance to see if the nut holding this on was tight, though...). As you can see: there is road dirt on there, as well: so could be thrown upwards....





...in fact you can see the oil 'welling' on that second photo -- and that's where it's dripping from. Where it's running from, I'm still not too sure....

My sump, also, doesn't appear to be blameless -- although this could be the oil being blown backwards, at speed....



Off to take the homewardette to work, and then onwards to the garage. I'll let you know....

 

[flisko]

its the camshaft metal oil seal

 

[homeward]

its the camshaft metal oil seal

Sadly, I think you're right. We shall see....

 

[homeward]

This is what I'm driving, by the way, whilst the Punto's being fettled:



It drives very similarly to our semi-automatic Mk3 Panda; although is a little soulless... -- and the central, holographic, digital dash is an absolute PITA....