Any idea what caused this oil on alternator?

[Lippo]

Hi,

I was about to change my main beams to Osram Nightbreakers when I noticed this on the alternator and a few areas around it.

There doesn't seem to be a leak anywhere, I've checked the oil filter, brake fluid reservoir and coolant and can't find any problems. There's no leaks from the head gaskey either.

I did have the intercooler pipe blow off a few weeks ago and had to drive round for a week with it disconnected. There was oil in the pipe and I suppose it could have come from there.

Any ideas?

 

[GarryGti]

I reckon your right about the vac pipe and oil. Clean it off and see if it reappears.

 

[DPJ]

You drove around for a week with an intercooler pipe disconnected?

Certainly the cause of the oil.

 

[kriso]

Yea I think you answered your own question

 

[Lippo]

Thanks, put my mind at rest. Couldn't really avoid it as I needed the car for work. It was an absolute dog with the pipe disconnected, loads of smoke and no poke. Kept on reconnecting it, and it kept popping off on the motorway.

Cleaned it off now, will double check over the next couple of days.

 

[Bondiblu]

Over the past 2 weeks I've had to replace 2 parts of the intercooler pipework, including the part above at +/- £30 a section. I'm tired of all the oil in there too, think I'm going to fit a catch tank in between the crank case breather and intake hose before I clean the intercooler.

 

[kriso]

It's probably worth doing. Take a look at the amount of crap that the tank catches after a month or 2

 

[stuplumpton]

I just changed the oil on my 130 Ibiza and noticed a load of sticky oil sludge has built up around the lower pipe on the SMIC, is this a common problem? What sort of muck must be in the SMIC? I am thinking of getting it booked in and checked under warranty anyway...

 

[muddyboots]

I just changed the oil on my 130 Ibiza and noticed a load of sticky oil sludge has built up around the lower pipe on the SMIC, is this a common problem? What sort of muck must be in the SMIC? I am thinking of getting it booked in and checked under warranty anyway...

Yep quite normal....

 

[Bondiblu]

I just changed the oil on my 130 Ibiza and noticed a load of sticky oil sludge has built up around the lower pipe on the SMIC, is this a common problem? What sort of muck must be in the SMIC? I am thinking of getting it booked in and checked under warranty anyway...

This is normal to a point, and precisely why I want to clean out the intercooler. Surely it won't allow the intercooler to work as efficiently as it should, being covered in oil, never mind it's going through the turbo first.

As I mentioned above, a catch tank will help.

 

[stuplumpton]

Hi,

I was about to change my main beams to Osram Nightbreakers when I noticed this on the alternator and a few areas around it.

There doesn't seem to be a leak anywhere, I've checked the oil filter, brake fluid reservoir and coolant and can't find any problems. There's no leaks from the head gaskey either.

I did have the intercooler pipe blow off a few weeks ago and had to drive round for a week with it disconnected. There was oil in the pipe and I suppose it could have come from there.

Any ideas?



By the way, you definately want to get as much oil off that alternator ASAP before it damages it!

 

[muddyboots]

....precisely why I want to clean out the intercooler. Surely it won't allow the intercooler to work as efficiently as it should, being covered in oil, never mind it's going through the turbo first.

Having done this myself, personally I wouldn't bother again.

There's only a teaspoon or two of oil sat in the bottom of the IC, which won't make a blind bit of difference to it's operation.

What will make more difference though is cleaning all the crap/leaves/insects etc out from between the fins to maximise the amount of airflow over the IC - blow through or jet through with water from the rear side.

http://muddyboots.fotopic.net/p15502319.html
http://muddyboots.fotopic.net/p15502320.html

 

[Lippo]

Hi,

I was about to change my main beams to Osram Nightbreakers when I noticed this on the alternator and a few areas around it.

There doesn't seem to be a leak anywhere, I've checked the oil filter, brake fluid reservoir and coolant and can't find any problems. There's no leaks from the head gaskey either.

I did have the intercooler pipe blow off a few weeks ago and had to drive round for a week with it disconnected. There was oil in the pipe and I suppose it could have come from there.

Any ideas?



By the way, you definately want to get as much oil off that alternator ASAP before it damages it!

I used some engine degreaser to clear it off, its gone now.

Sod's Law, coming home today on the motorway, doing 70, put my foot down to overtake and 'pop', loss of power and smoke! Intercooler pipe had come off again. Managed to get home and found out it was the top part of the intercooler pipe this time. Looks like I fitted the clip the wrong way round.

Quite pleased, cos I'd given the car its first proper clean in years and didn't want soot all over the back!!

 

[Bondiblu]

I used some engine degreaser to clear it off, its gone now.

Sod's Law, coming home today on the motorway, doing 70, put my foot down to overtake and 'pop', loss of power and smoke! Intercooler pipe had come off again. Managed to get home and found out it was the top part of the intercooler pipe this time. Looks like I fitted the clip the wrong way round.

Quite pleased, cos I'd given the car its first proper clean in years and didn't want soot all over the back!!

When mine popped off near the alternator, a piece of plastic had broken off the pipe. just a little piece the holds the clip in place.

On the new one, I found putting the clip on first was easier, then the pipe just pushes on and you hear it click as the clips seat down.