2007 vrs tdi what is this leak.

I am a new skoda tdi vrs owner. Bought a few weeks ago after sadly selling my 350z convertible. anyway it has the usual abs pump proplem and i have ordered a refurbed one. the other issue is this leak from top left hand of engine. cant see anything obvious. any assistance would be greatly appreciated. best regards. Bob

A look at the bigger picture would help identify the possible source rather than just the resultant mess.

 

It looks to be engine oil, possibly from a weeping gasket, a split vent hose or similar.

 

Check it hasn't fouled the auxiliary belt, I gather if/when this lets go it usually ends up caught in the timing belt causing extensive/expensive damage.

Hope these help

It may just be a weeping cam cover gasket.

 

Try cleaning the highest area and see if it returns, if from the cam cover gasket try nipping up the relevant bolts and repeating the process.

 

I'm unfamiliar with that specific engine type but notice it has a front situated intake manifold, this too could have a leak and is forcing air/oil mist into the area.

 

I'd be very concerned about the fuel filter housing top.  I've heard they can rust through and cause fuel pump/injector issues downstream.  Clean, assess, generous application of Hammerite paint recommended.

Edited 14 July, 20205 yr by MicMac

Does the engine normally wear its top cover & it has just been removed for the photos or is it missing?

 

If the latter then the oil residue is simply from where an inexperienced person has topped up the oil from a full 5l can without using a funnel or have overflowed the rocker cover while filling, possibly the cover is missing its sealing ring that goes around the oil filler.

Many thanks for your replies everybody. The covers are off for the pics. only noticed this as a couple of retaining lugs on the covers were missing and was going to sort that problem, doesnt seem to have got a lot worse in last couple of days. appears not to be from the cam cover gasket. My sons audi had a similar problem around the egr valve and produced a similar black goo. that was the egr leaking but egr isnt near this bit. this seems to be coming from the back of the round plastic part in the pic. sorry dont know what that part is. I will try gunking it and checking again. thanks again

@J.R.

I was going to suggest that given the location of the filler cap however it looks too black to me to be fresh oil.

Def not fresh oil. its really like burnt diesel and exhaust gas residue. not sure what the round plastic bit is directly above the alternator, seems to be behind that.

In photo 3 it looks like it could be an actuator, possibly for the EGR.

I think you have a BMN engine and the round plastic bit is the vacuum unit for the intake manifold changeover valve (anti shudder shut-off)

^ He's right. See it better here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLKSWAGEN-VW-GOLF-MK5-GT-170-03-09-2-0L-TDI-BMN-INLET-INTAKE-MANIFOLD-PD170/114292012060?hash=item1a9c55b41c:g:OwUAAOSwfGFfAH2T

 

Is it maybe leaking out at the point where the actuator shaft connects 'through' into the bits inside the manifold?

@Wino

 

What an unnecessarily complex design, sometimes (often) I wonder if the designers get out to play in the real world often enough.

 

I can think of possible reasons why given its plastic construction, however...

Many thanks guys. I think i am going to strip out the mainfold and actuator after the weekend to see if anything obvious, if not its a good minting and a ton of silicone gasket sealer and put it all back together and fingers crossed. many thanks again. B good and b safe.

I think you may need one of these or equivalent to fix it.

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/ppd170-used-bkd-aluminium-inlet-manifold-conversion-kit.html

 

Seems like it is another common failing.

Give the area a good clean and  maybe carefully pressure wash it. You then may be able to see exactly where it's coming from.

 

Need to clean it anyway to minimise any contamination risk if you are going to be pulling bits off.

 

It's coming from the swirl flap rod, the bushes leak after a while, mine did, solution replace the inlet manifold, the newer ones have a metal plate covering the end of the rod, cos over time this rod digs in the cam belt cover, well it did on mine.

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

Trev

14 hours ago, PipH said:

I think you may need one of these or equivalent to fix it.

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/ppd170-used-bkd-aluminium-inlet-manifold-conversion-kit.html

 

Seems like it is another common failing.

 

What PipH said...^^^

 

I suspect that when you take the manifold off, you're going to find that the flaps are sticking and probably breaking up.  

 

I'd get a BKD manifold like the one in the Darkside kit on there, sooner rather than later.  When the flaps break up, they have a habit of being sucked into the combustion chambers with dire results.

 

I bought that Darkside kit for my '08 Golf GT Sport 170 TDI as it was convenient and came with the necessary gasket and bolts and the manifold was blasted clean inside and out.  However, you can do 

it more cheaply if you source a manifold from a breaker and get the gasket and bolts from a VAG parts source.  The parts you want are from a TDI 140 PD.  If you go down that route, I'd recommend Wigan

VAG Parts as a good source where you might get a manifold.   https://www.facebook.com/vagpartswigan/

 

 

Can't you just throw caution to the wind and remove the flaps/associated mechanism and blank off the hole(s)?

 

Obviously it serves a purpose but if the chance of self-ingestion is higher than that of a shuddering engine when shut off/runaway diesel event surely the idea has merit.

 

re Runaway diesel, in theory turning the ignition key to off should stop the event by function of the ASV but IIRC the one on my BKC only operates for a couple of seconds, perhaps not enough to kill an engine revving into a low earth orbit.  I envision repeatedly cycling the ignition quickly to kill the engine RPM in stages.

9 hours ago, MicMac said:

Can't you just throw caution to the wind and remove the flaps/associated mechanism and blank off the hole(s)?

 

Obviously it serves a purpose but if the chance of self-ingestion is higher than that of a shuddering engine when shut off/runaway diesel event surely the idea has merit.

 

re Runaway diesel, in theory turning the ignition key to off should stop the event by function of the ASV but IIRC the one on my BKC only operates for a couple of seconds, perhaps not enough to kill an engine revving into a low earth orbit.  I envision repeatedly cycling the ignition quickly to kill the engine RPM in stages.

 

I think you may be confusing the flaps in the inlet manifold which close off 4 inlet ports at low revs for emissions reasons with the Anti Shudder Valve which closes when you turn off the  ignition.  

 

Swapping the original BMN, plastic, flappy inlet manifold for a BKD one sans flaps has no downsides as far as I've been able to establish. 

Bit of an update. Just finished fitting the Alloy manifold kit from Darkside developments. Took about 2.5 hours.  cost £120 and a couple of skinned knuckles. looks like I caught it just in time as there are 4 of the flaps missing, and the egr was blocked nearly solid. not driven it yet but will let you know. thanks for all the help and advice.

Wow, it ought to go a bit better now.

Oops

Assuming the 4th missing flap is in the same position as the others I suspect it's designed that way so nothing is missing.

 

Re EGR - as Wino wrote,  "it ought to go a bit better now"

Edited 20 July, 20205 yr by MicMac