Oil leak 1995 E320

[Lockhart Flawse]

Morning

I have had an oil leak for about a year on my 1995 E320. There is oil on the undertray but no obvious source of the leak that can be seen from above. Is there anywhere in particular I should look before I take it in to the garage to investigate?

 

[carat 3.6]

The cylinder head gasket can leak oil from the front and rear of the head, on the exhaust side of the engine. The u shaped seal between the upper and lower timing chain covers is another known problem area.

 

[Martyn_n]

If it is towards the front of the engine it could be the u-shaped gasket between the upper and lower timing chain covers, if it is towards the rear the head gasket is probably the culprit.

Edit, beaten to it!!!

 

[bolide]

They all leak to some degree. Favourite is the timing cover gasket which leaks and drips down all over the alternator. As well as that you have CHG oil leaks which are hard to see from above. Also the pipe from the SLS reservoir to the pump can leak

Unless the car uses oil between services I'd say it's not worth getting excited about

Nick Froome

 

[M104 MB]

Morning

I have had an oil leak for about a year on my 1995 E320. There is oil on the undertray but no obvious source of the leak that can be seen from above. Is there anywhere in particular I should look before I take it in to the garage to investigate?

Is the leak on driverside of the engine? if it is then the leak could be from oil filterhousing if it is check the sealing on left side on the housing the cooler side if you take apart cooling wall there is a small seal in a groove that's tend to break and oil can leak from there.

 

[kth286]

the front crankshaft pulley oil seal often leaks after time.

do not overfill this engine with engine oil - no more than halfway between
min and max on dipstick - there was a technical bulletin issued by merc.

 

[Lockhart Flawse]

Thanks everyone. It does use oil between services and I am getting a bit fed up by the smell of oil for the first few miles while it burns off the exhaust. I have been filling up to about halfway on the dipstick but thanks for the reminder and I didn't know it was a Mercedes recommendation.

I might put some better front wings on it if I thought I wasn't looking at major expenditure on the engine because in all other respects it is fine. The car has just gone over 160,000 miles although it had a second-hand engine a bit over a year ago and I have no idea what mileage the replacement had done.

I assume the timing chain gasket would not be too hard a job but if it is the head-gasket leaking l guess that I will at some point have to get it done or can they last a long time with a leak? The head-gasket failed on the original engine which then over-heated with terminal results!

Another problem I have had since Christmas is that the low water warning light is on. I have checked the reservoir level and it's fine and the car doesn't appear to be over heating. My brother-in-law suggested there might be a faulty sensor on the side of the radiator?

L.F.

 

[bing]

there might be a faulty sensor on the side of the radiator?

Uh, sensor should be inside the Reservoir and yes they go bad, so check that first!

 

[bing]

deleted due to duplication

 

[Martyn_n]

I am getting a bit fed up by the smell of oil for the first few miles while it burns off the exhaust.
L.F.

Mine still leaks a little from the head gasket but replacing the cam cover gasket fixed the worst of it and also stopped the oil sitting on the exhaust so the smell you hate has gone on mine (The head gasket is below the exhaust manifold so probably not responsible for the smell).

One note of caution, I waited until I had the cash to replace the wiring loom before tackling the leaks as whatever you do you will be disturbing it and that can result in costly ecu damage.

 

[BlackC55]

If the loom is original then budget for that too if you have the HG done. Have a look at the back of the head.

Could the water leak be HG related?

Check water pump and rad for leakage