Strange leak

[TonyC]

D'Oh - just when the cruise control light thing turned out to be a non-fault, I've spotted something else.

I've discovered what looks like an oil leak. It's appeared on the driver's side at the edge of the engine undertray. I took the undertray off to investigate further & it seems to be dripping from the bottom of the pipe going to the intercooler (though not from the pipe join itself).

I can't see anywhere it could be coming from The car had no evidence of the leak when I looked at it, but it has been serviced since (could the oil have been dripped somewhere during the oil change & is slowly running out ?)

It doesn't seem to bad at the moment, but I'm a little worried after a succession of unreliable VAG cars previously

Any thoughts ?

Thanks again, Tony.

 

[Dudemeister]

hi tonyc,

i have the same thing on our 2.0TDI Altea. There is some oil on the undertray drivers side. i have had it looked at approx 6 months ago but it has since come back. it does not drop onto the floor nor does it seem to effect the oil levels. it is only a small amount.
i am currently arranging to have it seen to by the dealer. just waiting for a decent courtesy car to become available.

interesting to know what is casuing it? if you find out please let me know.

 

[TonyC]

Hi Dudemeister,

Interesting that you have had similar - mine's also a 2.0TDi. What did the dealer say when they first looked at it ?

It's my wife's car & she will be using the car for business - about 300 miles this week, so if any more oil has appeared, I'll probably book it in.

I'm not sure that it is actually engine oil - it doesn't have any noticeable smell, whereas oil from the dipstick has a distinctive smell.

The car has been overfilled with oil (just above the top "round" part of the dipstick), so when I first saw it on the intercooler pipe, I imagined horrors of it being blown out of the turbo seals into the intercooler.

Very strange.

 

[aceman]

This is oil vapour that is contained in the induction charge that after a period of time builds up. If you have a slight leak at one of the joints to/from the intercooler it will get forced out due to the pressure in the pipe under boost. This usually happens at the lower joints as the oil tends to pool up at the lowest point of the pipe and is quite a common problem with all the VAG TDI engines. If you were to take your intercooler off you would find a certain amount of oil in that also, I don't think it is anything to worry about but taking the lower pipes off and giving them a clean will probably stop the problem for another 6 months months when it will probably return.

 

[TonyC]

Thanks Aceman.

When I looked at the car before we bought it, there was no evidence of the oil. Do you think the overfilling makes it worse ?

I assume Dudemeister's dealer cleaned out the pipe & refitted it, hence solving the problem for a while.

The pipe does not have a jubilee clip. I assume you pull off the springy metal clip & can then withdraw the pipe. Do you know if the clip is re-usable ?

Cheers,

Tony

 

[aceman]

The clip should be reuasable but it has been known for these to loose their tension but if you decide to get new clips beware there are different sizes and it asn't always obvious which size to get. The clips themselves do not clamp around the tubing like jubilee clips all they do is lock the pipes from sliding apart, it is the o'ring on one side of the pipe that creates the seal.

When you disassemble the pipe you will see what I mean. Don't try and prise the clip too far apart when trying to unclip it or you will strain it just enough so you can pull it back releasing the pipe. Hope this helps.

 

[TonyC]

Great, thanks

I'll give it a go at the weekend & report back.

 

[TonyC]

Just a follow up.

I followed Aceman's advice - removed the intercooler pipes (only a little dribble of oil - less than I was expecting), cleaned it all up, rotated the seals & reseated.

All fine so far - if it leaks again, I'll try new seals.

Tony

 

[aceman]

It doesn't need much but it will be a continual build up from the oil vapour.

 

[Dudemeister]

Just a follow up.

I followed Aceman's advice - removed the intercooler pipes (only a little dribble of oil - less than I was expecting), cleaned it all up, rotated the seals & reseated.

All fine so far - if it leaks again, I'll try new seals.

Tony

perhaps i should tell the dealer that when mine goes in shortly...