Throwing oil ... how much is too much?
 

If my question-asking rate gets a little heavy this week, it's only because I've gone on this random, I'm-so-bored-because-I'm-injured-and-can't-run, exploratory expedition in my engine compartment. Somehow I've found entertainment in standing in the 8-degree F weather and investigating every crevise of my car's mechanical trappings. Needless to say, I have seen some things that are confusing, concerning and/or intriguing.

The most concerning thing I noticed was that there seems to be oil being thrown toward the passenger side fender. I noticed some residual oil on the ABS lines toward the front and it seemed "fresh" (my engine comp is pretty sludgy so it's hard to tell what's new and what's been there for ten years and is no longer an issue). I also noticed significant oil staining on the hood pad way over toward that passenger side. Now, the hood pad has had a big oil stain on it for quite some time. This car was ferociously throwing oil five years ago, to the extent that the dealership recommended "retiring" it (of course, it turned out they'd MISSED the fact that a bolt had backed out of the water cooler and it turned out to be a relatively simple fix). Anyway, long story short, it stopped throwing oil after that, but we never changed the hood pad. It seems the stain has gotten bigger, but it might be my imagination. The oil on the ABS lines leads me to believe it's spewing something from somewhere. So:
1)What's a good way to check for oil being thrown? Is there something I can stick to the hood pad to see if it picks up stains (same idea as putting cardboard underneath, only to catch stuff going up and around)?
2)Is a little bit of this normal? Or should I start checking around the belt for a possible source.
The front crank casing does leak a little bit. I had this checked out about a year ago by the indy and he did the works as far as oil leakage goes ... and I got a "thumbs up," as in for a 19-year-old car, it's doing very well in that department. So it could be that the oil from the crank casing is being thrown, and it may not be very much ... sometimes in the winter it appears worse because the oil tends to get viscous and rather than drip off steadily it sort of goops to the parts and then suddenly lets loose when it gets warm and thinner.
3)Is a professional engine cleaning a good idea just to clear up the picture? There's a lot of crud in there ... I try to wipe some of it out, but I'm afraid of damaging some of the small, fragile bits and pieces and not even noticing it. But with all the residue in there, searching for current oil leaks is kind of like looking for turds in a sewer.:eek:

Thoughts?

I think I'm becoming the automotive equivalent to Adrian Monk ... only he would never touch this goo ... :rolleyes:

When tracking oil leaks down it is a very good idea to start out with a clean engine. You should be cleaning the engine just as often as you clean the outside. This way you will be noticing the small problems before they become big and you don't always have to have black hands when you work on the car.:) :scholar:

Certainly makes sense. But where do I start? It's so gross right now that I don't think my squirt bottle of Simple Green is going to do the trick. Should I take it to a detailer and get the works? Once it's clean, I'll have no problem keeping up with it ... the reason it's so gross is that it was like that for years before my dad gave it to me (he's great about doing maintenence and fixing things to keep it mechanicall healthy, but he's never been into cleaning cars or keeping them clean :rolleyes: ). Just a matter of getting it from grudgy to clean the first time.

Better clean it and check things out thoroughly. The one thing that comes to mind that would "throw" oil like that are the oil cooler lines coming in contact with a belt. Others have found that if your motor mounts are worn, the belt can wear through the top oil cooler line and suddenly you can have an engine-ruining situation on your hands.:(

The "new" 603 threw at least two quarts of oil all over the top and both sides of the engine. Oil everywhere. Oil all over the a/c dryer and covering the open area behind the LF headlight. Oil all over the exhaust manifold with associated smoke. Oil saturating the hood pad.......dripping down all over me.:(

Checked around and found nothing. Engine was running fine. After turbo was replaced and oil was cleaned up, no evidence of any leak or source for this oil.

My conclusion is that, for some unknown reason related to pressure in the crankcase, the engine threw all this oil out the dipstick. There is nothing else that can possibly explain the amount and location for all this oil.

I'm not suggesting that this is the problem on yours, however, don't dismiss it out of hand.

When oil gets onto the hood pad, there is a good deal leaking from somewhere and the belts are likely to be throwing it upward. You need to find this leak.

Women should not be working on diesels.

:D

Kidding!

Get'r clean first. I don't know what your availability to a hose is, nor do I know what outside temps are like, but if you get the engine *just* warm and spray heavily in your case with degreaser and then hose it out. Keep it off the outside paint though. I get it by the gallon from Costco.

That being said, if you have oil seemingly being thrown from the front of the engine, there are a limited amount of sources. Front main seal, power steering pump...

Anything greater than a valve cover/oil pan gasket leak RE engine oil, I'd start to worry about.

Take it to the car wash close by (so the engine does not get warmed up before you get there--lots of people here will say don't spray cold water on a hot injection pump), put the coins in the machine, put the sprayer on 'wash' and start spraying away until you get it clean.

two comments
 

one, avoid electrical parts when spraying engine.

two... power steering pump. check the color of the oil and compare to power steering pump.

tom w

So it's really safe to squirt directly into the engine compartment? Not that I'm questioning you guys ... I just feel uneasy about significant water pressure on some of the plastic bits and pieces in there that might crack or get knocked loose. As for temp, that is somewhat of a problem, too ... it's in the 10s (F) now and I worry that cold water + warmish engine could = major trouble. And there's the matter of icicles forming all over the engine compartment. :o

One way or another, I can see that my first step is to get this engine clean. I do have a hose, and I do have a nearby car wash (although in a hilly area so I'd probably want to let it sit for a while after I get there). And I have a lot of Simple Green. According to weather.com, it might be in the high 30s next week ...

Oh, but that diesel scent makes such a lovely perfume, and with those nifty oil stains on my hands, who needs nailpolish? ;)

Yep, that'll attract one of us.........for sure.;)

Thanks for all the replies guys ... helps me form a gameplan. Of course now I'm all worried (seriously, for the sake of everyone around me, I should never have kids), but I'd MUCH rather be in-the-know and worried than ignorant and headed for a disaster. :eek:

I'll try to tidy up a little with clothes (is it OK to gently just wipe away some of the oil?), feel around a little and report back with findings. If I don't, it's because I've frozen myself to the engine and then succumbed to hypothermia.

You certainly don't want to be doing this at 10°F. Wait until it warms into the '30's.

Keep the nozzle on the engine and belt driven accessories. There are no plastic pieces on the engine that will be harmed. Do not wander off the engine and onto the fenderwells or firewall where there are plastic covered electrical devices.

If you keep the nozzle on the engine and various pumps in the front, you'll be fine.

go to autozone or walmart and get a couple of cans of gunk engine bright, go home and soak the engine in the engine bright. wait a few hours or so and scrub whereever you can/want. rinse and repeat. do not use water any higher pressure than what comes out of a garden hose with a spray nossle. once done dry the ip the best you can and then run the car till the water drys.

I've been cleaning my engines with high pressure at car washes for 30 yrs. While I never linger on electrical parts, I've always cleaned everything including fenders, firewall, and battery. The only problem I have ever had has been getting the electrical system wet on gassers. I've sometimes had to dry out the distributor cap or wipe off the wires. No other problems whatsoever.