Hi Guys, I have a 1999 TH Magna 3.5 lt that has an oil leak and I can't find where it is coming from. I have read other threads about leaks and have tried all your suggestions. But the leak remains.

The leak is at the rear of the engine and is not major, but needs to be fixed. I have replaced the tappet cover gasket (twice) and can wipe around the cover with a tissue and there is no oil. After a drive, there is oil on the exhaust manifold bolts and can be seen under the bit of the head gasket that sticks out. There is also a small drip on the cap of the distributer. I have replaced all suspect hoses etc. The oil appears to be engine oil and nothing I have touched changes the leak, so I am stumped. The oil appears even after 10 minutes of driving.

Is it possible to blow a head gasket where oil spits out the back of the engine and not into the cylinder or coolant??? Is there something I am overlooking?? :redface: Thanks.

First of all welcome.

It's not the rear rocker cover gasket is it?

Welcome firstly.

Secondly, on that part of the engine, the only thing that can really leak (awaits Madmagna) is the rocker cover gasket.

Now, if yours is leaking after being replaced twice - you could be looking at a warped rocker cover.

Blown head gasket? Unlikely - its rare, really rare unless you've seen your temp hit 3/4 +.

On a second note - check simple things like your PCV to see if its blocked, check on the rear rocker cover, you have a return line that gets rather blocked if your oil wasnt changed often enough.

Thanks Disciple and Ers, and thanks for the welcome.
I have checked the PCV valve. It is working. I have checked the pipes and replaced the ones that were cracked or gone hard. I have read about warped rocker covers and checked this. It checks out ok.

Could be a welsh plug, usually if a magna is going to do a head gasket, it will crack a head first.

Also check the dist seals as these are starting to be an issue as the cars age.

You state you have run a tissue arond the rocker cover, well if that is the case forget it for now

Also take off your rear timing belt cover and check in there, you will need to first take off the power steering belt tensioner but is worth the check.

Oh and welcome also

I'm pretty sure that you have the same minor leak as me. It is the o ring behind the cam shaft end plate on the front bankof cylinders. It is a $3 part but you need to disconnect the coolant system to remove it. I plan to do it the next time I flush the coolant. .

Just noticed you said leak was on rear bank of cylinders. Could be same issue still.

Also check the dist seals as these are starting to be an issue as the cars age.

You state you have run a tissue arond the rocker cover, well if that is the case forget it for now

Also take off your rear timing belt cover and check in there, you will need to first take off the power steering belt tensioner but is worth the check.

Oh and welcome also


Madmagna, you say "dist seals" is this "dust seals"? If not what seals are they??
Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the help.

I'm pretty sure that you have the same minor leak as me. It is the o ring behind the cam shaft end plate on the front bankof cylinders. It is a $3 part but you need to disconnect the coolant system to remove it. I plan to do it the next time I flush the coolant. .

Thanks Monster Inc. I'll have a look for this. I think the oil is coming from below the head, or is being sprayed from somewhere to totally confuse me.

No, Distributor seal, this effectivly goes in the same place on the back head as the plate does on the front head. The heads can be used either front or rear and to facilitate the cams and dist the holese at either end are the same size. Leaking "O" ring on the front and dist on the back are getting more common

Also check the dist seals as these are starting to be an issue as the cars age.

You state you have run a tissue arond the rocker cover, well if that is the case forget it for now

Also take off your rear timing belt cover and check in there, you will need to first take off the power steering belt tensioner but is worth the check.

Oh and welcome also

Madmagna,
I had a peek into the timing belt covers by only undoing the top screws and looking in. The belts are not covered in oil, BUT I can see oil. It will take me a few weeks now to get a chance to have a proper look, until then can you supply some more info. EG. Obviously the oil is seeping, not spraying out. From within the covers can the oil work its way to the rear of the engine or should it drop out the bottom of the covers? Having asked that, being oil it goes where ever it likes doesn't it. If the oil leak is the camshaft seal, this would place the oil leak below the rocker cover and a strong contender to the the source of the oil leak.

Thanks
Yarrum

The heads can be used either front or rear and to facilitate the cams and dist the holese at either


I think you may be wrong mate. The ports are on different sides on each head, and are a different shape too.

I think you may be wrong mate. The ports are on different sides on each head, and are a different shape too.

I know you are wrong as the heads turn around ????????????

You do not just pop the rear on the front and have the inlet bolted through the radiator:nuts:

I have done this many times, if you use the rear head on the front, the head gets turned around, the end cap gets bolted on, the cam seal in the other end and you are off and running

The oil can work its way around the back, when I got my current TF, the breathers were all completely blocked, the rear cam seal was spraying oil out everywhere, did not get on the belt and usually dosn't either, just worked its way out, some went down, a lot went around the back of the engine and made it look like the head gasket was the culprit

Hi folks,
I started this thread back in January. I can't believe it has been this long before I found the oil leak. My wife took the Magna to Yamba and back from Brisbane and when she drove into the garage the smell off burning oil was super strong and I knew it was time to get serious. The answer to the problem was.... drum roll... the rear cam oil seal. The front has also started to leak. It's off to the mechanics. I won't try this one as I don't like messing about with cam shafts just in case them move and I stuff the engine.

Thanks for everyone's input. I have learnt a lot and Until an hour ago I would not have believed that the cam seal could make such a mess at the rear of the engine and not have one drop on the timing belt.

Cheers
Yarrum :)

If all else fails, try Nulon ESL :) can't hurt!

I read "dist seals" as "distributor seals" the dizzy is ovefr the back on pass side, isn't it? (Mental note: have a look under the bonnet for once in a while LOL !!) I assume it'd be an o-ring on the dist shaft?