How can I fix an oil leak thats coming from the top of the engine. Anybody know what the problem is. Its a 1988 MB 300e. Help would be appreciated. Thank you

What does "top" mean? Valve cover? Head gasket? Distributor cap? Upper timing chain cover? PCV hose? etc. etc. etc.

Those engines were well-known to have leaking head gaskets - you'll need to tell us from where the leak originates to be certain.

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1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Most likely the timing chain cover/camshaft seal.

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Chris
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1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
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1971 250 - retired

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Again, the stock plastic oil fill caps are bad leakers. If suspect, get a real metal one.

I'm adding oil like crazy...3 qts in the last 1000 miles. Got good oil pressure, no oil in the coolant, no blue smoke coming out the tailpipe, no leaks on the driveway. Where's all that oil going? And where can i get a metal oil fill cap - my plastic one is cracked?

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'87 BMW 325 convertible (162k + miles)
'87 300E, 144k + miles (sold)
'93 Chevy Blazer (full size), 207K + miles
'89 Sea Ray 390EC, 2 x 454's, 1550 hours...
'85 AMF Sunfish

Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA

You may be able to get a metal cap on this site. Click on buy parts at the top.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
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2005 CDI European Delivery
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2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Thanks Wodnek but all they have is the black plastic one for $6.75. Good price but...

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'87 BMW 325 convertible (162k + miles)
'87 300E, 144k + miles (sold)
'93 Chevy Blazer (full size), 207K + miles
'89 Sea Ray 390EC, 2 x 454's, 1550 hours...
'85 AMF Sunfish

Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA

Three quarts in 1000 miles?? That oil has to be going somewhere. If the engine is leaking that bad, you should see it either on the floor or pooling up in the pan below the engine. It may be dripping out while you're driving..........? Or it could be smoking while you are driving and cannot see it. 3 qts is a lot of oil to just dissappear.

I changed my valve cover seal, got rid of about 97% of my oil leak. The rest is coming from the timing chain cover. Doesn't leak too bad now. I used 1 qt in about 2000 miles, which is OK because it was time to change the oil anyway. My 300E has 195K on her.

Good luck finding where it's all going.

Thanks! My old V8 Nova burnt a lot of oil too (valve guides) but I could see and smell the smoke - the 300E seems to run very clean at idle and when driving. It has relatively low miles (138k now) and was owned by an older lady before me - I don't think it was driven hard. If I accelerate enthusiastically, theres that kind of smoke you get when the engine hasn't been opened up in a while and thats all. Got a slight leak from the timing chain cover, its a little oily around the filler cap (which is cracked) but nothing like the amount of oil I'm adding. No oil pools on the road or in the pan under the engine.

Maybe you're right - it might be smoking when I'm driving and i just can't see it. The Nova was so bad that you could see soot on the bodywork - the bumper on the MB is as clean as a whistle though. Oh well...

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'87 BMW 325 convertible (162k + miles)
'87 300E, 144k + miles (sold)
'93 Chevy Blazer (full size), 207K + miles
'89 Sea Ray 390EC, 2 x 454's, 1550 hours...
'85 AMF Sunfish

Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA

Yeah, usually you should be able to see tell tales of the engine burning that kind of oil, an oily residue around the tailpipe, spark plugs fouling all the time, blue smoke on start, to name a few. Check the bottom of your car, see if it's coved with a mist of oil. That will help to determin that it is just a leak, although a pretty substantial one . Keep a close eye on the anti-freeze. If it is the head gasket, it will probably show there first. I thought I read somewhere about fins in the radiator carrying oil for cooling and guys have disconnected that and put on external oil coolers.......I may be WAY off, but it is something I thought I remembered.

Sam

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1987 300E
1972 220d
2004 Dodge Ram 2500 T/D
1997 Explorer
1999 F250 V10 Guzzler
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