Major oil leak from fuel injector base?

[remark1]

Major oil leak from base of fuel injector!

Hi all.

I'm new to this, as far as 'posting' goes, but have searched for my issue & can't find anyone with the same problem?

I own a 2006 reg. 2.2 FWD Mk7, which has just developed a major oil leak from the base of one of the fuel injectors. The van starts & runs perfectly, but there is oil pooled around the base of most of the injectors & No. 3 is 'bubbling' through the oil puddle when the engine is running. After some initial searching online, thought that it appeared to be the failure of the relevant injector seal? However, there is no 'chuffing' as is apparently the case with a blown injector seal & after speaking to a mechanic, he said he's never heard of oil leaking from here & that this may indicate a far more major fault than just the injector seals?!

Any help or advice would be very gratefully received!

Steve

[Altransit]

My money is still on injector seals, and it's not a major job to remove, clean and replace them, even if it turns out to be something else

They don't always "chuff" just a bit of a rattle at high revs was all that mine did

[remark1]

Wow! That was prompt! Thanks very much for that. I'd already ordered a complete new set of injector seals before being told that it might not be this, so suppose I might as well renew at least the one that appears to be leaking & take it from there?

In the meantime (and whilst waiting for these to arrive) as I can't go to work till its fixed, I'll see what other people suggest as well & will post developments / findings as appropriate, in case its of use to anyone else with a similar issue?

Steve

[remark1]

My money is still on injector seals, and it's not a major job to remove, clean and replace them, even if it turns out to be something else

They don't always "chuff" just a bit of a rattle at high revs was all that mine did

Wow! That was prompt! Thanks very much for that. I'd already ordered a complete new set of injector seals before being told that it might not be this, so suppose I might as well renew at least the one that appears to be leaking & take it from there?

In the meantime (and whilst waiting for these to arrive) as I can't go to work till its fixed, I'll see what other people suggest as well & will post developments / findings as appropriate, in case its of use to anyone else with a similar issue?

Someone i just spoke to suggested possibly a blocked 'breather' hose and / or rocker-box gasket? I'm just gonna go & jet-wash the engine off to get a better idea of exactly where the oil is coming from & will report back!

Steve

[Altransit]

My money is still on injector seals, and it's not a major job to remove, clean and replace them, even if it turns out to be something else

They don't always "chuff" just a bit of a rattle at high revs was all that mine did

Wow! That was prompt! Thanks very much for that. I'd already ordered a complete new set of injector seals before being told that it might not be this, so suppose I might as well renew at least the one that appears to be leaking & take it from there?

In the meantime (and whilst waiting for these to arrive) as I can't go to work till its fixed, I'll see what other people suggest as well & will post developments / findings as appropriate, in case its of use to anyone else with a similar issue?

Someone i just spoke to suggested possibly a blocked 'breather' hose and / or rocker-box gasket? I'm just gonna go & jet-wash the engine off to get a better idea of exactly where the oil is coming from & will report back!

Steve

While you're waiting, go and see if the clamp bolts are tight?


Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk

[Chug]

Yes injector sealing rings as Al said, its quite a common fault and easy enough to do providing the injectors come out easy, I spent several hours tring to remove one, the others pulled out easily by hand once loosened.

[remark1]

Update -

I've just taken the van for a very gentle, short (approx. 3 mile return) drive to jet-wash the engine off & obviously had to do this with the air filter box removed, so i could both get to the affected area & hopefully see where the oil came from afterwards.

Whilst driving, even under very gentle acceleration there was a whistling / hissing sound from the engine & i guessed that this may simply be the sound of the air being drawn-into the intake without the air box on, although it seemed to be more engine 'load' more than 'revs'-related? I've never noticed this sound before, with the air box fitted! The thought then occurred to me is it safe (for the engine) to drive (even a short distance) with the air filter box removed?

Upon returning home & re-checking the engine, the oil is definitely originating from around the seal at the base on injector No. 3, plus slightly from the adjacent injector No. 4. Both of which were now visible & 'bubbling' oil. Accordingly, although the affected injectors aren't 'chuffing' at tick-over, as apparently is the usual sign of a blown injector seal, in hindsight, the 'whistling' / hissing sound may be the notorious 'chuffing' which may only be happening on mine once the engine is under-load? Although (as stated above) I've never noticed the 'whistling / 'hissing' sound before (with the air box fitted) perhaps the sound had been muffled by the air box?

One other point I forgot to mention previously is that upon removal of the air box, I noticed that there was oil sprayed over the underside of the box, above the injector that is 'bubbling' the worst (No. 3) so again, this would indicate pressure being released here. In addition, as well as running perfectly, the van doesn't smoke excessively, so doesn't appear to be burning oil excessively?

Either way, I'll renew the seals on at least the 2 affected injectors & see how it goes from there?

Steve

[remark1]

Yes injector sealing rings as Al said, its quite a common fault and easy enough to do providing the injectors come out easy, I spent several hours tring to remove one, the others pulled out easily by hand once loosened.

OK. Thanks. I'm also gonna check the injector clamp bolts whilst waiting for the new seals to arrive, as suggested by another comment replying to my post (to-which i don't seem to be able to reply directly?) as I've also seen this suggested elsewhere.

Particularly as it now appears (after jet-washing) that the seals on both of a pair of injectors (retained by the same clamp) are leaking, although i also understand that the clamp bolts have to treated with 'utmost care', as they are notorious for shearing-off! It's also been recommended elsewhere to renew the removed clamp bolt / bolts & even the clamps themselves, as apparently the clamp design has now been modified / improved?

The 'Haynes' manual also says that any / all injector fuel pipes which are removed must be renewed!! Surely not, as, being metal, surely these are OK to re-use? Obviously I can understand renewing O-rings etc, but the entire pipe? 'Seems like an unnecessary expense to me?

Steve

[knobby1]

OK. Thanks. I'm also gonna check the injector clamp bolts whilst waiting for the new seals to arrive, as suggested by another comment replying to my post (to-which i don't seem to be able to reply directly?) as I've also seen this suggested elsewhere.

Particularly as it now appears (after jet-washing) that the seals on both of a pair of injectors (retained by the same clamp) are leaking, although i also understand that the clamp bolts have to treated with 'utmost care', as they are notorious for shearing-off! It's also been recommended elsewhere to renew the removed clamp bolt / bolts & even the clamps themselves, as apparently the clamp design has now been modified / improved?

The 'Haynes' manual also says that any / all injector fuel pipes which are removed must be renewed!! Surely not, as, being metal, surely these are OK to re-use? Obviously I can understand renewing O-rings etc, but the entire pipe? 'Seems like an unnecessary expense to me? Steve

The clamp bolts are "single use", they're stretch bolts...the pipes should be ok if not damaged or cracked, inspect them well as there's a silly amount of pressure going though them. The injector copper sealing washers are what's causing your injector oil seals to leak. Replace them and the injector oil seals and you should be good to go.

Make sure the copper sealing washer seats in the head are clean and flat prior to fitting new ones or you'll probably be doing it again soon.

Lord Knobrot

[remark1]

OK. Thanks for that, knobby1. So its actually not uncommon for the failure of the seals to cause a major oil leak here then & if so, presumably the 'mechanic' who told me he's never heard of an oil leak here doesn't know what he's talking about? I've seen a lot of 2nd hand clamp bolts for sale on ebay & still for stupid money for what is, after all just a bolt! So from what you say, presumably these should be by-passed & new ones used?

As previously suggested by someone else, maybe the root cause is a blocked engine breather-hose, which has caused pressure to build in the engine which is thereby now escaping via the injector seal in question & forcing oil out in the process?

I'll run the engine with the oil filler cap off & check if there's excessive pressure blowing out of the filler tube?

[Altransit]

Considering the job that these long, skinny bolts, have to do, anyone would be foolish to re-use the existing ones, except as a temporary stop gap, and downright idiotic to actually buy a used one, when new genuine ones are only a couple of quid each

[ned]

The hissing/whistling noise you heard when the air box was removed is the turbo spooling and sucking in air I wouldn't advise driving without some kind of air filter in place. N

[remark1]

Considering the job that these long, skinny bolts, have to do, anyone would be foolish to re-use the existing ones, except as a temporary stop gap, and downright idiotic to actually buy a used one, when new genuine ones are only a couple of quid each

OK. Point taken! Thanks again.

[remark1]

The hissing/whistling noise you heard when the air box was removed is the turbo spooling and sucking in air I wouldn't advise driving without some kind of air filter in place. N

OK. Thanks. I did consider that the turbo may also have been the source of the noise! So presumably they don't like running on an unrestricted air-flow?

[ned]

The hissing/whistling noise you heard when the air box was removed is the turbo spooling and sucking in air I wouldn't advise driving without some kind of air filter in place. N

OK. Thanks. I did consider that the turbo may also have been the source of the noise! So presumably they don't like running on an unrestricted air-flow?

I have a cone filter on my mk6 and hear the turbo spooling all the time you also can hear the turbo dump boost on gear changes N