E320 oil leak behind exhaust manifold ? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ed in Va. · #1 04-18-2011, 04:04 PM

I have an oil leak somewhere behind the exhaust manifold but can not determine exactly where without removing some engine components.
(94 E320-115,000 miles) The leak is also approximately close to the alternator mounting bracket area.

Anyone care to guess where this oil might be coming from?

Thanks... Ed in Va.

ps2cho · #2 04-18-2011, 06:21 PM

Oil pan gasket or its coming from head gasket/valve cover/timing cover gasket. There is nowhere else it can come from so check those.

sptt · #3 04-18-2011, 10:16 PM

Ditto ps2cho's comments. Just did my head gasket and it was the head gasket for the back left near passenger side and front timing cover for front passenger side above alternator. Cheaper and much easier to do timing cover fix first to see if it is the issue. I have no leaks from either now.

Ed in Va. · #4 04-19-2011, 09:18 AM

That's a good idea...

I'll try to take a close look at the timing cover gasket.

Don't really want to pull the head until I can rule out everything else.

Thanks for the suggestion...

Ed in Va.

sptt · #5 04-19-2011, 01:11 PM

There's a little u-shapped gasket that sits underneath the top timing cover and on top of the bottom timing cover. Get a new one (they're cheap) and clean out all of the old one and crud in the grrove. Also get a new camshaft seal as well and pop the other one out. Do not put the new cam seal in until after you have installed the timing cover back on over the u-shaped gasket and bolted it in. Otherwise, it is a son-of-a gun to not roll the bottom gasket and not have it seal properly. Put a dab of sealant at the tips of the u-shaped gasket and against the head in the corners and then on to the backside of the contact surfaces of the cover where it meets the head.

Set the cover down and in on top of the gasket so you don't have to slide it forward on the bottom but just need to press down and forward at the top and slide your bottom bolts in while holding it in place.
Once on, tighten the two bottom bolts, then the two top bolts. Then fit the new camshaft seal on over cam and back into the timing cover being careful on all edges so you don't damage that one either. Use a very large socket the same diameter to tap carefully back in until flush with the cover's face. Reinstall orange dust cover, distributor cap, and reconnect plug wires.

Hope that helps. You can also do a search on the forum and see some pics and other tips. Good luck.

sptt

Ed in Va. · #6 04-19-2011, 08:40 PM

Thanks sptt...

Sounds so simple...

ET

markg612 · #7 04-22-2011, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sptt

There's a little u-shapped gasket that sits underneath the top timing cover and on top of the bottom timing cover. Get a new one (they're cheap) and clean out all of the old one and crud in the grrove. Also get a new camshaft seal as well and pop the other one out. Do not put the new cam seal in until after you have installed the timing cover back on over the u-shaped gasket and bolted it in. Otherwise, it is a son-of-a gun to not roll the bottom gasket and not have it seal properly. Put a dab of sealant at the tips of the u-shaped gasket and against the head in the corners and then on to the backside of the contact surfaces of the cover where it meets the head.

Set the cover down and in on top of the gasket so you don't have to slide it forward on the bottom but just need to press down and forward at the top and slide your bottom bolts in while holding it in place.
Once on, tighten the two bottom bolts, then the two top bolts. Then fit the new camshaft seal on over cam and back into the timing cover being careful on all edges so you don't damage that one either. Use a very large socket the same diameter to tap carefully back in until flush with the cover's face. Reinstall orange dust cover, distributor cap, and reconnect plug wires.

Hope that helps. You can also do a search on the forum and see some pics and other tips. Good luck.

sptt

I thought I was reliving a bad dream for a minute--perfectly articulated!

At 116K, this motor is ripe for a head gasket. Mine was a squirter, the copper seal in the head gasket let loose.

No mention of the timing chain tensioner crush washers. I didn't torque it properly during a 103 job and it leaked rather nicely!