Oil Leak - 2.0 16v abf

[OllieL]

Having serious issues with my motor!
Having finished uni and made a few long trips. Have come home and parked the car on my parents drive. Came outside this morning and found a massive oil puddle under the car. Checked the dip stick and the oil was off the end of the stick. Put 2 L in the car which brought the level back upto mid stick.
Can't see where the oil is coming from, the oil filter is fine. The under tray is still on at the moment, but covered in oil - so need to get that off and figure out where it has come from.
Have done approx 1000 miles in the car in the last week (checked the oil before I went on my travels and it was fine) so am i likely to have done something to the car by driving with such low oil levels.
I've had no warning lights come up on the dash.
Are there common problems/ leaks with the abf's?

Ollie

 

[m0rk]

find the leak before you start it. whip the undertray off (amazing it's still there after 10yrs)

likely reasons - bashed sump, crank seal.

 

[Brummy]

you dont seem to have much luck with that Valver Ol... Im sure its the curse of Kozan..........

 

[jenk]

I wouldnt be driving it having lost that much oil bud. I lost alot through the oil pressure sender (ontop of the oil filter cooler/heater), dont know if the valver has the same configuration as the 8v?

 

[OllieL]

No no no, not driving it anywhere now, just have been over the last week and worried I could have made this problem worse!! Off to get the under tray off now will return with pictures

Ollie

 

[crezz]

mmmh, lets see them then mate

 

[OllieL]

Got the under tray off which was full of oil!!
Gave the engine a good wipe over and ran it for 5 mins.
Only place I could see oil coming from is the housing where the oil filter attaches

from further inspection think i've found the route the oil has been taking

Oil in the car is full, and its the only place that I could see any signs of a leak.
Can it really be coming from here??

Ollie

 

[jenk]

Can you see the top of the oil cooler/filter housing?

does look exactly like the problem i had

 

[OllieL]

Yeah can see the top of the filter housing but can't see anything untoward. The housing is in two pieces, and it seems that its leaking from between the two parts.
Am I missing a seal, causing the leak.
Serviced the car 4 months ago and its held oil untill now.

Ollie

 

[jenk]

You would think if that came unsealed then you would get water in your oil, or vise versa. It took me ages to find the problem as I thought I couldnt get a seal on the filter, all along it was that sendor pissing oil out of the top.

 

[jenk]

Check this jenk in retard mode thread......

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=129538&highlight=oil+cooler

May or may not be anyhelp

 

[OllieL]

Mine is square and leaking. I have vauge recolections of thinking it was a bit loose when i serviced it. Will have to get a new oil filter, oil and take it off and see if I can tighten it up.
From what I remember there was a tube/pipe/rod in the centre of it, could it be something to do with that.
I'm worried I've done something to it, as it was a B1atch to get the oil filter off it last time...........hmm

Ollie

 

[Dolly_Gti]

i found when doing the oil filter you can actually move the oil cooler sandwhich plate without meaning it, grab hold of it and see if it twists and tightens just like you would do the oil filter.

 

[OllieL]

Off to take your advice now dolly - will have a go and report back .
Hope it is that simple

Ollie

 

[OllieL]

Taken the oil filter off and found the housing to still be slightly loose (and i mean very slightly). Couldn't get it to turn as dolly said but then got a socket on the big bolt in the middle and managed to get about half a turn on it to nip it up tight.
Oil filter is back on now, and after running on the drive for 5 mins so far so good.
Going out for a spin to see how that changes things

Edit - While writing the above the oil started to re-appear again

Ollie

 

[OllieL]

Anyone got a diagram of the engine or said oil cooler arrangement????

Ollie

 

[crezz]

 

[OllieL]

I' thinking it could be a seal betwtween the unit.
Anyone else got an idea??

Ollie

 

[OllieL]

After poncing about for the best part of 2 hours have found that I have a leak at the seal (no 19 on the diagram) and I do actually have a leak at the oil pressure sender (number 21 - thanks for the heads up jenk). Can't understand why I hadn't spotted it before, but the more I ran the car the worse it has become.

Now its just a case of getting hold of the parts as the stealers down the road said it will be wednesday or thursday before they will get them . GSF and Eurocar parts are getting back to me

Ollie

 

[crezz]

is it the blue switch that is leaking? if so there only £3 iirc