Sprung a leak

[patricks]

Hey guys vocky corsaZ22se got a bad oil leak coming form drivers side of engine its leaking oil onto the right wheel going all the way to the back of the car. Any ideas where it could be coming from. Looks like its predominantly travelling under the car. Im thinking oil seal in the oil pump cover???
Coolant is clean. Found this out when i took the car to a garage to have the brake fluid changed. They refused to change it unless i cleaned it up underneath first, So what do i need to look for once ive degreased the engine to find out where its coming from.

 

[corsaZ22se]

most likely would be the crank shaft pulley seal. clean it off and run up to see if the oil is coming from here.
water pump cover plate seal is another possibility or the oil pump/timing cover seal.

 

[patricks]

most likely would be the crank shaft pulley seal. clean it off and run up to see if the oil is coming from here.
water pump cover plate seal is another possibility or the oil pump/timing cover seal.

Cheers i was thinking crank shaft pulley seal - i didnt replace it when i did my chains two years ago. Water pump seals replaced two years ago. The timing cover seal u mean the gasket??? was in really nice shape when i looked at it last very clean!

Was soooo insulted by the garage who suggested i take the car to a river......some people have no idea!!! Like to see any other car that makes over 500K virtually trouble free!!

 

[patricks]

corsaZ22se whats the best way to put the crank seal back in - i dont have the special tool. Is it as simple as pry out the old seal and grease the new one and insert? Or is there a special method that i need to observe??

 

[vocky]

they go in quite easy

 

[patricks]

Wow an easy job on a z22se who would have thought. Get the feeling ive really fooked the engine tho by the time i realised it was leaking i had to put in a bit over two litres of oil just to get to the min mark on the dipstick , Didnt make any funny noises but ill have to do a comp test as soon as im done

 

[vocky]

the first thing to go with low oil is the big end bearings, so if there is no knocking at 2000rpm it should be fine

 

[Berto]

.... by the time i realised it was leaking i had to put in a bit over two litres of oil just to get to the min mark on the dipstick ...

If you didn't do any hard cornering while oil level was too low, there is a chance that the oil pickup tube was never exposed. Most engines are designed with a generous built-in buffer between min oil level on dipstick and absolute minimum level for safe operation. Some engines will hold oil pressure on just 1 litre of remaining oil (provided you drive very gently to the nearest oil shop ).

If the low oil pressure warning never came up ...

... that's a good signal (provided low oil pressure warning is reliable on Z22SE engines).

 

[patricks]

Well thats good to know didnt hear any knocking but didnt take a note of the rpm i just filled it with oil and revved it. And no oil lamp on but then again the only time ive ever seen that is on start up for a second or so not sure if it actually works. Unfortunatley had to drive her home with leaking seal it lost a litre of oil in the-90km trip home and i stopped to top it up half way. Waiting for seal to arrive so not even going to attempt a start up and ill have another listen when its fixed Then its pvc mod time lol

 

[corsaZ22se]

most jobs are simple on the z22se
you can use a socket and crank pulley bolt to pull seal in if your doing it in the car.

 

[patricks]

most jobs are simple on the z22se
you can use a socket and crank pulley bolt to pull seal in if your doing it in the car.

Yep doing it with the engine in the car. How do u mean can u elaborate?? Was just going to get two very thin flat blade screwdrivers like in pics and pry it out???

 

[corsaZ22se]

you will need a stronger flat blade than that!
once pulley is off a decent size flat blade will pop it out.
then lube up the new seal and with a socket the same od as seal press the new seal into the oil pump housing, making sure it goes in even all the way around.

 

[patricks]

you will need a stronger flat blade than that!
once pulley is off a decent size flat blade will pop it out.
then lube up the new seal and with a socket the same od as seal press the new seal into the oil pump housing, making sure it goes in even all the way around.

Got it! That should be easy peasy once ive got passed the bugger of a pulley bolt. BTW my all time fav easy jobs on a z22se is water pump replacement, chain replacement, fuel filter change hate hate hate that job and i also had a lot of fun removing inlet manifold NOT. I think you may be underestimating urself - you are one skilled dude mere mortals like me find z22se a pain to work on.

 

[corsaZ22se]

not sure what the hardest job is for me?
changing fuel filter used to be until i got the clip release pliers.
CV joints are a fiddle to get off.
bleeding the clutch isn't easy
but the engines are quite simple to work on.

 

[KevinH]

changing fuel filter used to be until i got the clip release pliers.

corsaZ22se which make of pliers do you have for the fuel filter clips? They always seem to break therefore new ones are required each time.

 

[corsaZ22se]

think they came from Mac Tools? either that or SnapOn? 3 piece set in bargain bin on the van many years ago.
and it is recommended to use new clips each time which is why new filters come with new clips.

 

[patricks]

Changed the seal today but still leaking corsaZ22se vocky think ive done it wrong - when i took the pulley off i noticed there was a seal on that so i replaced it was i supposed to replace a seal in the timing cover itself??? In which case i couldnt see one in there but i remember there being one in the inside of the timing cover when i took it off to do my chains a while ago. Good news is no engine damage bearings are fine had a listen at 2000rpm bad news is the car started started to handle like a pig traction light came on and then when i turned her off she didnt start again can . Can i just remove the timing case to replace this seal i think that would be easier access???. Also the seal has had minimal use in the wrong spot can i stil use it or do i need to get another

 

[corsaZ22se]

the seal should be in the front of the timing case.
not ever seen one on the pulley on the z22se before?
it does seal to the pulley though.
i would get a new seal.

 

[patricks]

Is the seal visible from the out side of the timing cover? When i pulled off he pulley off all i could see is metal, the wooddruff key and the oil pump slots...when i replaced the seal i just put it back on the pulley where i found the old one.

 

[corsaZ22se]

seal should be in the cover not on the pulley.
something like this.