M104 - more oil leaks

[BlueQuinn]

The S124 passed another MoT last week, which I'm pleased about, but more oil leak advisories this year!

I seem to be chasing oil leaks round this engine.
Having fixed the cam cover, timing cover and oil level sensor leaks I now have one from somewhere near the oil filter. I guess it's leaking where the oil/water heat exchanger bolts onto the engine block. Has anyone any idea how many hours of labour I need to budget for? I guess the entire inlet system has to come off just to investigate?

I also have a leak from the gearbox overload protection switch. Quite a lot. What's the betting - switch itself or just an o-ring? I've noticed quite jerky gear upchanges recently. Does that mean the switch is bad, or just that the pressure is being relieved through the leak, so it never switches?

 

[andypandy]

If it keeps finding new places to develop leaks maybe a breather hose is blocked causing excess pressure to blow the weakest seal? Just a thought.

 

[jaymanek]

Check the transmission oil level, it may be too low now.

IN terms of where the oil cooler pipes fit, its incredibly tricky.. I had to change those pipes on mine as my oil cooler went and the pipes were stuck to it.

I got it off with extensions and wobblys but it was not easy. Ideally the inlet manifold needs to come off..
So probably not a cheap job.

 

[BlueQuinn]

The transmission oil level seems OK, which is good. Maybe it's not such a big leak after all, but has just been there a good while.

Good advice on the breather pipes andypandy. I checked the inlet manifold one, and that's good. Are there many others?

 

[GP801]

I had a similar leak from the oil filter/cooler housing last year on the 280. It was either the seal under the housing or the housing itself. I was told that they can become porous over time. Because it is such a labour intensive job and no way to test until everything has been put back together it was advised to replace the whole thing. Parts were about £300 I think. Yes the whole manifold has to come off. I am not entirely sure how long it took because I had a few other bits done at the same time but I think it was 5-6 hours labour.

 

[GP801]

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/163714-w124-oil-leak.html

There is a list of parts used in the last post in this thread

 

[BlueQuinn]

I looked up my car on WIS. I don't have a oil/coolant exchanger, just an oil filter and some pipes to a normal oil cooler.
This means it's likely to be something as little as an O-ring from one of those pipes. And a check under the bonnet reveals its oil tight at the filter-engine block gasket, which appears to confirm the theory. Still can't see to make sure without removing the inlet, but I'm optimistic. We shall see when it gets serviced in the new year.