Oil leak from front of engine OM642

[such01]

I noticed oil over various parts on the front of the engine.
It looks like it's coming from / pooling underneath the air damper / noise silencer, the black plastic box in the pictures:



I'm not 100% sure on the orientation of the 4th picture. I wouldn't have thought this is the oil cooler seals as these were changed around 2 years ago (40k). There is oil splatter all down the front of the engine looking down and to the right of the plastic box in the first picture. I have been told it could be the seal at the bottom of the plastic box. Would this make such a mess if so?
Also, my fuel filter was changed around 500 miles ago the resonator pipe was removed - I wonder of this could be the cause of the leak if not the air damper silencer?

Thanks all and stayin safe....

 

[Larkone]

The rubber o-rings do compress over time, had similar on mine and fixed it by fitting new o-rings, removing the resonator pipes may have caused a split in the o-rings.. However it does look like quite a lot so is the PCV valve OK? OM642 PCV Upgrade

 

[such01]

IIRC the PCV valve is at the back if the engine and the hose goes into a metal pipe which disappears down behind the rear left of the engine.
I did look at the upgrade but it seems my PCV valve is different. I had the red seal on the hose replaced during the last service as well as the red turbo inlet seal.

 

[BlackC55]

Its usually the resonator or the seals on either end of it leaking. Get it done asap as it contaminates the belt and it will fail.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Yes, there's a black o-ring on the big silver pipe that goes into the right hand side of the turbo (When facing the car). There's a green o-ring that goes at the other end, close to the turbo - the black o-ring is the one at the front of the car and is probably the culprit!

A good MB specialist/indie should only charge for 1/2 hour labour

 

[such01]

Thanks - it was probably due to the pipe being removed during the fuel filter change..
I'll clean it up and have a look to see where it is coming from.
Trouble is nowhere is open now...

 

[such01]

Well no sign of oil at the front of the resonator:

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

I'm finding it hard to visualise exactly where the oil leak is. Do you have a wider shot?

 

[such01]

its down this gap underneath the black plastic silencer. In front to the left is the left duct for the air filter at the front of the engine...

 

[Whitewhale]

My engine has developed a leak in the same area. The timing chain cover from the RH side cam cover end cap down to the alternator is all oily. I haven't been able to locate the source but I noticed the noise damper is not properly fitted. Someone has done some work there and left the fastening bracket off. I noticed in your picture that you damper is missing the lowest attachment bolt too. Did you remove it or was it really missing? Mine is missing both the bolt and the bracket, which I first discovered watching a YouTube video about fixing the oil cooler leak. I took a snapshot of the video showing all three bolts and the lower bracket (pointed by an arrow).

Did you get yours fixed?



Thanks

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Really hard to visualise what you're showing us. Need more perspective with some wider shots, and clearer shots of the oil leak.

 

[W1ghty]

My engine has developed a leak in the same area. The timing chain cover from the RH side cam cover end cap down to the alternator is all oily. I haven't been able to locate the source but I noticed the noise damper is not properly fitted. Someone has done some work there and left the fastening bracket off. I noticed in your picture that you damper is missing the lowest attachment bolt too. Did you remove it or was it really missing? Mine is missing both the bolt and the bracket, which I first discovered watching a YouTube video about fixing the oil cooler leak. I took a snapshot of the video showing all three bolts and the lower bracket (pointed by an arrow).

Did you get yours fixed?

View attachment 119992

Thanks

Your engine isn’t an om642 V6 is it buddy ?