oil leak

[miko0ol]

Got an AU Fairmont SII
its got an oil leak and the problem is getting worse and worse over time, any ideas?

[FOCUSonTHIS]

Degrease the engine and find out where the oil leak is coming from. Replace the seals that are leaking

[Mechan1k]

The main leak issues I had were from:

1) oil pressue switch
2) cam change tensioner (behind the ps mount at the front of the engine)

No:2 peed out oil like no tomorrow.

[XRMick]

Agree with FOCUSonTHIS, you'll need to pinpoint the source before you can fix it or leave it to a mechanic and pay $$$$$. How many km's has the motor done?

[miko0ol]

seems to be coming from the left side of the engine, the motor has done 360,000

[Spurious]

If the leak is on the left, under the inlet, it's either oil sender unit or head gasket.
Timing chain tensioner has an external bolt with an O ring. That one is an easy fix BUT you need to remove the PS pump & bracket to access it I think.
When I say "remove", just undo all the relative bolts & shove the unit aside while you replace the O ring. There's no need to undo any of the power steer hoses ok.

The pressurised oil feed tubes (from sump pump to rocker assembly) run up the inlet side of the block/head. It's rather common for the 4.0L engines to leak there.
Mine did...I replaced the gasket & shaved the head...6 months on it weeps again!!!
Fords are a curse & a blessing

[miko0ol]

i just changed the water pump and out a new oring on the pipe that connects to it, you reckon oil could fall out from the inlet manifold gasket? i got a suspicion that that might be the culprit

[LPGUTE]

the timing case also leak from the corner where the timing case met the block and the head, assuming its a 6 cyl

[olfella]

Can you get under the car to have a look? A good place to start is remember that the oil will always travel towards the rear of the car, so if there is none around the water pump area then keep tracking it back. I suspect the oil sender switch about half way along the motor... and it will usually pee out with the motor running.

[miko0ol]

ill have a look tomorrow once the suns up, it drips down to underneath the engine and leaves puddles on my drive way which is a pain to clean

[Spurious]

Originally Posted by miko0ol

you reckon oil could fall out from the inlet manifold gasket? i got a suspicion that that might be the culprit

No...unless you're fueling up with a rich 2 stroke premix!

If the leak is on the inlet side of the engine, it's either oil pressure sender unit, head gasket, or as mentioned...the corner where timing casing & head meet block. If
FYI, if the inlet gasket is stuffed you would be having erratic idle issues with the engine.

The issue I had months ago (& it went on for almost 5 years) was that the MLS head gasket had delaminated & oil was forcing its way out under pressure.

[Maka]

My suggestion is to consider to put in a low km second handy au motor in it, depending on how many oil leaks & how severe. There's a chance its leaking from the front, left & under the motor. Could be cheaper to change the motor out. Good luck, hope its something small!

cheer's, Maka

[miko0ol]

just had another look, it comes out from the back of the engine, any ideas?

[olfella]

Have you got the moter running (good name for a sing!!) while you are looking around?

[Maka]

Originally Posted by miko0ol

just had another look, it comes out from the back of the engine, any ideas?

What colour is the oil? If its motor oil, rear main seal if you discounted any rocker cover leaks.

cheer's, Maka

[miko0ol]

its a orange brown sort of colour, same as oil i put in

[Maka]

Take it to a mechanic, could be anything. Pull the connector from the oil sender & if its got oil in the plug that's the issue perhaps. If its not that, have a chat with a mechanic.

cheer's, Maka

[miko0ol]

cheers

[Spurious]

Don't be quick to judge. I thought you said it was coming from the side of the motor under the inlet?

Might be wise to degrease the whole engine & then check it daily 'til you find the source.

[Evgeni]

If you pull the plastic inspection plate on the front of the bell housing that allows access to the torque converter/flex plate bolts and find oil there, it will be a rear main seal.

Otherwise most likely from the half moon ends of the sump. It will be running from the bolt access wells at the back of the sump.

But if oil is under the inlet, like others have said, most likely the join where the head, block and timing case meet. The oil switch is a likely culprit and don't forget that the dipstick tube has an o ring at the base of the fitting. It will also blow oil all over the side of the block.

[paulv1818]

I've just spent a fair amount of time fixing up all my leaks. Rocker cover gasket didn't look like it was leaking but it sure was. the oil was down the inlet side and also made its way to the back of the engine and dripped down the bell housing looking like the rear main.