Serious loss of oil........HELP!!!!!

John_T

Really need some sound advice or pointers towards the above problem. Got a serious oil leak, once the engine has warmed up the oil just pours out of the car, at the moment there are pools of oil gathered behind the filter housing on the main block, once the engine is warm it builds up & runs down gearbox/block joint. Is there anywhere in behind the front manifold or around the starter motor that can give up & leak, I had the sarter off today & replaced the oil pressure switch thinking it was that but to no avail. The missus is in tears, only got married last week & were planning doing the house, now looks like the car.

Any ideas, time to fix, how hard or cost for a mechanic is greatly welcomed. I would say the car uses 1ltr or more every 150mile possibly less, but I'm filling it every other day. I can do some basic maintenance myself but dropping the gearbox is a big no-no as I don't have the space or the serious plant/tools required.

Car is a Vectra b, 51 plate.

All help much appreciated.

vocky

oil filter lid 'O' ring seal dunno..

John_T

What, the little green rubber seal around the filter cap, if so mate that was checked, it's still in one piece, must admit though there wasn't any supplied with the last couple of filters I had so it's been on for about nine months, change my oil every three month regardless, although I've been putting 5 litres in every change & just found out it should only be 4.75ltr, would this have an effect due to over pressure?

Gary14

Firstly before having a major heart attack, give the engine a good power washing down, remove all the oil and any crap that has built up, let the engine idle to dry off.You will now get a better idea wher the oil may be leaking from, if not take the car for a steady run couple of miles should do, on return check for leaks.
The oil leak could be coming from the main crankshaft oil seal hence oil all over gearbox. This will require gearbox removal to repair :shock:

guy_27

vocky said:
oil filter lid 'O' ring seal dunno..

I've been filling mine up with 5 litres for the last 18 months and no issues there.

As above, wash the engine and replace the oring for the filter.

John_T

Thanks for the info/help guys, I've been washing the engine down for about three months now trying to find this bu***r, as said it seems to be coming from behind the filter housing & running down the gearbox, I don't even need to take the car a run, as soon as it's warm you would think I cut her throat the way the oil runs out of her, will give the oring a go & see if that has any effect, not sure if I can buy the seals of the shelf, will have a look for a filter in the loft first.

Lets say the crank seal has gone, would I expect to find the flywheel covered in oil? if so, with the starter motor removed I would be able to get most of my hand in the hole & feel the flywheel for traces/signs of oil, would someone confirm this?

John_T

guy 27 said:
I've been filling mine up with 5 litres for the last 18 months and no issues there.

I've been filling mine up with 5ltrs for 5 years now until I found the vauxhall field remedy on hear last night, never had any issues before myself until now, but thought I'd ask the question of over pressure just incase. I'm trying to hope it aint the crank seal & summit I can sort myself for a few quid, a couple of hours & some swearing when it don't go right. Missus has gone to get some 'O' ring seals or a filter, will update soon.

John_T

Arrhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Vauxhall no longer supply the 'o' ring seals along with the filter, it's been superseeded & the seal listed is £6 (exc tradeclub), but they've never stocked it & it would need to be a factory order, even tried the motor factors & they're the same, gonna have to try a couple of stealerships around the Glasgow area :thumbdown: ..... update postponed guys.

Matt

Do you know the part number for the seal?

Daz

Our local factors sell the filters with the seal still..... notsure.gif

John_T

Matt said:
Do you know the part number for the seal?

Can't remember what it was, had it up on the EPC, phoned vauxhall, they asked for reg number & came up with the new seal at £6, theres one on ebay & the GM number from the bag has no match on the EPC http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

Daz said:
Our local factors sell the filters with the seal still..... notsure.gif

Whats the name of the factors mate, where are you, is it a national motor factor incase theres one near me.

Daz

try eurocar parts if you got one up ure way.....

rushy

Might sound daft mate, but what do you take the oil filter cap off with, molegrips?? Could you have punctured the cap on the corner of one of the flaps. I misplaced my spanner for it last week and used some molegrips and noticed it had slightly damaged my cap, but no hole thankfully.

Gary14

My local factors supply Fram filters which include the seal and a sump plug washer. I only use GM filter on my motor use others on service vehicles

John_T

Daz said:
try eurocar parts if you got one up ure way.....

Nearest one is half way between Edinburgh & Glasgow :think: , tried there website but it doesn't say if ring is supplied & it aint in the pic.

rushy said:
Might sound daft mate, but what do you take the oil filter cap off with, molegrips?? Could you have punctured the cap on the corner of one of the flaps. I misplaced my spanner for it last week and used some molegrips and noticed it had slightly damaged my cap, but no hole thankfully.

32mm socket, the extension bar is a bit of a tight fit down the side of the manifold but it covers the whole plastic nut with no slipping, never had a great deal of time tonight, kids n such, gonna give the housing cap a good clean off & see if theres owt forcing its way through there.

MikeS

yeh when i bought a filter from vxhall i didnt realise i needed the seal with it as my original didnt have on either

if you dont have a seal it does leak closest to the head and runs down the bell housing

John_T

Gary14 said:
My local factors supply Fram filters which include the seal and a sump plug washer. I only use GM filter on my motor use others on service vehicles

I know Dingbro up hear north of border used to supply with washers but haven't got from them in a while, gonna get someone to check tomorrow, will also update about this £6 seal :o , brother in-law gets Fram filters from work (Arnold Clark), got three of them now but none of them were supplied with washer, thats why I've been using same one for last two oil changes.

Daz

I'll pop into the factors next to my works tomoz, and take a peek in a box....if theres one in there i'll buy the filter and post it upto you if ya like,,,

John_T

MikeS said:
yeh when i bought a filter from vxhall i didnt realise i needed the seal with it as my original didnt have on either

if you dont have a seal it does leak closest to the head and runs down the bell housing

I do have a seal on the filter cap, theres no tears or bits missing from it either, thats whats got me thinking it aint that. notsure.gif

John_T

Daz said:
I'll pop into the factors next to my works tomoz, and take a peek in a box....if theres one in there i'll buy the filter and post it upto you if ya like,,,

:thumbup: Yer a star mate :thumbup: , if you get one pm me yer paypal addy & I'll forward you the cash, gonna phone round a few more dealers in the Glasgow area + a few factors just to make sure theres a stockist of sorts up here.