W124 M103 engine oil leak from where? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

throne7 · #1 07-28-2010, 02:36 AM

Hello, if you are trying to find a source of oil leak in a W124 M103 engine, where would you look first? If I park my 1987 260E at a new parking spot at night and come back in the morning, there is a small puddle, about the size of a person's palm right under where the front of the oil pan would be. It appears to have dripped there from somewhere above the oil pan. So far I have not been able to pinpoint it.

Christine in FL · #2 07-28-2010, 03:10 AM

This might help you out:

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/M103TimingCoverReseal

Christine

400Eric · #3 07-28-2010, 03:18 AM

My valve cover bolts weren't sufficiently tight on my 89 M103 and there was some leaking occurring out of the front area. There was a head job done on the car years ago before I got the car (no jokes about head jobs please), and I guess the tech was trying to not tighten the valve cover bolts too tight but after a few years they weren't tight enough. I don't think this is a common cure but it reduced my leakage (no jokes please) by about 80%
Regards, Eric

Gilly · #4 07-28-2010, 04:42 AM

What Christine posted.....front timing cover "lip" seal is most likely the problem.
Gilly

400Eric · #5 07-28-2010, 07:16 AM

Probably, but it doesn't cost anything but a few minutes time to try those valve cover bolts, 80% leak reduction was good enough for me. Allowed me to put time and resources towards making other things better.

Sorry about the joke about no jokes. Didn't know we had any women here. That's a good thing though!
Regards, Eric