M111 s124 sudden oil leak

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mrday

New Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2020
Messages
13
Location
Berlin
Car
S124
Hi all,

Gimme best guess and best/worst case on an oil leak that’s just sprung up 🙄 on our ‘96 estate.

Couple of weeks ago all fine. Then noticed oily smell, dipstick a bit low, crawled under and found this. Head gasket replaced about 14 months ago. Not blowing any smoke. Just drip drip after driving.

Obviously originating above the alternator as these photos just taken from below. That is the alternator, right?

Thanks in advance…
 
Maybe check your timing chain tensioner hasn’t undone itself
 
Thanks. Chain and tensioner were fairly recently redone. Is there a relatively easy way to check that or do I have to pull the cover?
 
The inlet camshaft adjuster is known to leak on these engines--remove the black or grey plastic front cover on the engine and have a look-- it just clips on -lift upwards
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Great tip, thanks will check out tomorrow. Various people on other forums suggesting we shouldn’t drive it to our mechanic like this because the alternator will burst into flames…?
 
Great tip, thanks will check out tomorrow. Various people on other forums suggesting we shouldn’t drive it to our mechanic like this because the alternator will burst into flames…?
It will be fine to drive to your mechanic, people like to dramatize things.
 
Indeed.

Grober I think you got it in one. Thank you! Little trickle out of the adjuster after idling for only a few minutes.

Question is can I just order a new seal or better to grab the whole part ?
 
Best to get the whole part+seal [ if available]--- oil has been known to migrate along the wiring back to the ECU!
 
Will do. Is it really possible that such a seemingly small leak (pic here) could result in the amount of oil in the original pics? Wondering because after cleaning everything from the alternator and running for a few minutes now there was the adjuster leak, but ten minutes after that having shut off the engine there were already a few big drops under the alternator.

Screen Shot 2021-08-29 at 2.47.19 pm copy.jpg
 
Well, new adjuster in no problems and that weep has stopped, but the oil leak is still there. Evidence as before, on bottom of alternator and bottom of sump. Wondering what worst case is, as we’re supposed to be ripping out the wiring loom and throttle body this weekend to send of for rebuilding… bad idea?
 
It almost seems as if it’s coming out of the non-engine side of the alternator itself, which is obviously not possible. Couple of pictures of potential culprit areas right above the alternator… Everything above that is dry.

1F430E85-D15F-4322-BFA7-E01E43140F26.jpeg
 
Might be the crankshaft front seal leaking behind the main front pulley- they can be replaced in situ but you need a puller to remove the pulley- copious amounts of oil usually means oil under pressure is escaping- the pictures feature the timing chain hydraulic tensioner---they have oil seals that can leak also.
 
Might be the crankshaft front seal leaking behind the main front pulley- they can be replaced in situ but you need a puller to remove the pulley- copious amounts of oil usually means oil under pressure is escaping- the pictures feature the timing chain hydraulic tensioner---they have oil seals that can leak also.
Big (ie. expensive) job if we were to get our mechanic to sort? Was just about to start pulling the wiring loom.
 
Ok, thanks grober.
 

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