Where is the oil leaking from?

andyinluton · Jan 8, 2021

I left the house for the first time in nearly four weeks yesterday due to this little bug that's going round.

I did a total of 2 miles in the van & as I got home the oil low warning light flashed on. Investigations this morning show a major oil leak as can be seen in the attached photo. Theres the best part of a sump full sitting on the drive under the van. A quick 4 litre ! top up shows the oil P*****g out. Am trying to work out if that's the oil cooler & its coming from the oil filter housing that's mounted just above it?

Im looking at the pool of oil about halfway down the photo sitting on the ribbed casing.

Its a T5.1 140 engine.

I need to know as the van had a main dealer service 35 miles ago & need some facts before I go in all guns blazing..........

briwy · Jan 9, 2021

We had oil all over the engine compartment a few years ago after a service. I found the dipstick hadn't been pushed right down and as the pressure built up in the crankcase the oil had sprayed out.
Was nowhere near as bad as yours though.

andyinluton · Jan 9, 2021

Dealer thinks the oil filter O ring has been pinched / split. Being towed in by them on Monday.

Just very lucky timing wise whatever it is. Was due to take daughter back to uni this weekend ( she’s a medical student so classed as essential permitted travel).

The orange low oil light literally flashed on for about a second or two. That wouldn’t have been enough to make me stop straight away on a hard shoulder less motorway.

briwy · Jan 9, 2021

Moral would appear to be drive around a bit after picking it up and then check what they have done wrong before going home. Just incompetence. Glad it's OK.

Perfectos · Jan 9, 2021

Obviously they are going to steam clean and valet the engine bay and provide you with a free service in future ?
which dealer ?

GSX1300R · Jan 9, 2021

briwy said:
Moral would appear to be drive around a bit after picking it up and then check what they have done wrong before going home. Just incompetence. Glad it's OK.

You shouldn’t have to do that..That’s why you pay inflated main dealer prices (£120) per hour to do the job correctly the first time..
The problem is you won’t get a trained mechanic to do a service on your vehicle it’s normally done by the trainee.But even so you expect it’s done right the first time..This could have been absolutely catastrophic if you were on a motorway at 70 mph..Then you would be looking at a full brand new engine and quite possibly left you with the bill because they would say they did the job correctly. This is one of the reasons I always do my own servicing..

pjm-84 · Jan 9, 2021

Agree. Part of the service. Run the vehicle, check for any leaks. Poor

larrylamb · Jan 9, 2021

andyinluton said:
Dealer thinks the oil filter O ring has been pinched / split.

Exactly the same happened with our Cali after main service at the dealers. AA man from VW assist came out, diagnosed it and went and picked up a new filter. Returned Cali to dealer for checkup and cleanup of underneath. Not good enough really from VW. I received an Auto Glym kit and 20% off next service voucher.

flying banana · Jan 9, 2021

dealer monkeys strike again. looks like they haven't got the filter housing and 'o' ring on correctly.
i too do my own servicing like gsx. i'd be tempted to sort that myself rather than let another 'master tech' do it.

John R · Jan 9, 2021

andyinluton said:
Dealer thinks the oil filter O ring has been pinched / split. Being towed in by them on Monday.

Just very lucky timing wise whatever it is. Was due to take daughter back to uni this weekend ( she’s a medical student so classed as essential permitted travel).

The orange low oil light literally flashed on for about a second or two. That wouldn’t have been enough to make me stop straight away on a hard shoulder less motorway.

Seen it before on other engines when the old oil filter O ring was not removed and new filter and O ring put back on and then the original one blew out.

andyinluton · Jan 11, 2021

Just got the van back, all sorted & steam cleaned. It was a split O ring on the oil filter housing.
Just incredibly lucky that it failed when it did, previous journey was on the motorway, next planned journey was on the motorway, if it had happened then it would probably have needed a new engine.

Dealer was Alan Day in Finchley - would not hesitate to use them again. sing happens, its how they deal with it afterwards that matters.