oil leak?

[Firestorm]

has anyone had this issue? and know how it may have happened? our D22 sprung a leak on the way home from our bordertrip weekend. it wasnt pushed particularly hard. looks like its from the sump somewhere, so hoping its jsut the sump gasket. its not leaking a lot but enough to not use it until its fixed incase it all of a sudden spat all its oil out then wed b well stuffed. and it quite literally wasnt leaking then it suddenly was!

 

[Old.Tony]

Finding exactly where the leak is coming from is the only way forward. It might look like it's coming from the bottom of the engine, but the oil mist coming out of the PCV might not show very well until it accumulates somewhere.

Also, the oil could travel around the line between sump and block giving you the impression it's a sump gasket problem. Maybe check around the front main shaft seal?

If it were a sump gasket, I'd be asking if there were any groundings where the sump hit the sand or a stick or something.

 

[Firestorm]

cheers we will check the front main shaft seal too. and just try to trace it the best we can. not sure if it hit the deck anywyere as dont think we bottomed oout on anything, a lower nav didnt bottom out on the same track, but its a hard one. a stick possibly as u cant see in those bog pits! its annoying both the cars r off the road at the same time! the skyline is making a veyr perculiar noise from front left wheel, doesnt seem like a wheel bearing but gosh its gotten bad so digging around that too!

 

[Cooper]

I also have a random leak, its very very slow and super hard to pinpoint where its coming from. Doesn't look like its more than 1/3rd of the way up on the engine block from the bottow from the accumulated oil. Im putting it on the hoist on Monday to try and trace it. If I can find it ill post it up

 

[Firestorm]

coool well check all ur bolts, ours had a loose bolt where the oil was coming from! its now tightend up and doesnt seem to b leaking? watching tho incase it starts to leak some more incase its something more sinister. but definately let us know coopee when u find ur randome leak.

 

[Old.Tony]

Great that you found it, which bolt was it? Do you think it was loosed through vibration, and would it be reasonable to use a spring washer+washer combination to secure it better?

 

[tukangbaso]

Hi there, first post.. anyway just moved on from a patrol to a navara..

did you get bogged or went underwater etc. if you have a zd30 it's quite common the front main leaks from getting sand in between the seal ( did it in my patrool ) try give it a good squirt with high pressure hose behind the crank pulley.. worked on mine.

 

[Firestorm]

it was one of the bolts holding the sump on! well a couple of em all loose. but we r very glad we found it and its not leaking now. it also had super thin oil in it so think whoever last put that oil in didnt use the correct oil for a diesel! but the beasts had a service now with new oil. etc.

haha we went thru water and mud but didnt get bogged anywhere or bottom out anywhere keeping an eye out if it still leaks tho but so far so good prob say vibrations loosened them, spring washers would b a good idea. tho bolt glue got put on these ones. prob will b regretting that at a later date hahahaha. but tis not leaking!

 

[tukangbaso]

good to hear... i was just reading in the online manual and it says 5-30w oil which i thought was very thin.. so he might've just followed the manual..

 

[Cooper]

Hey guys, well its going in today to get the steering ilder replaced as its gone. Ill drop those tips to my mechanic also thanks heaps

 

[Firestorm]

possible tukangbaso. ours now has 15'-30 diesel oil in neo brand even my ride on mower has neo hehe. just is not cheap oil but is good stuff.

good luck cooper! wonder if it will work out to b a similar leak.

 

[Cooper]

Still cant seem to find it. Its super slow so I think it is the sump seal. Not too sure if I want to drop the front to find it at the moment. Time will tell....

 

[Firestorm]

ours has started to leak again seems to b coming from up pretty high tho. was good for a while there! not the bolts this time.

 

[Dave]

Degrease the whole motor and it should make it easier to see.

Dave.

 

[Old.Tony]

What Dave said.

 

[Firestorm]

that is the plan of attack for this weekend, the bottoom parts were degreased but not up higher.

 

[brendan]

i also have a leak coming from the left hand side of the motor, turbo size, looks to be the sump gasket

 

[Firestorm]

my partner doesnt think ours is hte sump gasket, tho there is a bit of oil in the turbo so maybe its coming from tehre somewhere and oozing down? he thinks its coming from the front of the motor up highish?

 

[Old.Tony]

I've had a bit of oil in my turbo too, I assumed it was part of the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation). It may be completely unrelated to the leak on your engine - oil in the turbo will probably be ingested by the motor and not seen on the outside. If it COULD get out, there'd be a problem with your air intake.

Actually now that I think about it, I'm going to raise the issue of oil in my turbocharger with the service department. That oil would have to find its way through the intercooler, and I am not sure that's the best thing to happen.

 

[Firestorm]

well OH did some delving and looks like it is inface the crank seal. ther was a little copper o ring leaking too which we thought maybe it was just that, but seems as tho there is a leak at the crank seal. what is the best advice for changing this ourselves? anyone done the crank seal on zd30?