Hi
Back in 2011ish I rebuilt the top end of the engine with my brother (broken piston ring). All went well, but the car was left with a significant oil leak.
Over the years I have looked to no avail to actually find where it was coming from. I thought I had it early on when I discovered the jubilee clip to the crankcase breather had not been done up. But no. It looked like the cylinder bases were a real possible, but hard to prove. Also when we sealed the cam housings on we were a bit slow with one as it got caught on a locating pin and I thought the sealant may have gone off a bit.
So I was resigned to taking the engine out again. I have been living abroad the last 7+ years so it just had not happened. If it was not so cold recently I would have dropped it out and also done the bottom end as well this time. The reason for the bottom end being considered for a refurb was because in traffic with the temp above 9 o'clock the oil warning light would flick on, so I suspected low oil pressure.
Then I was reading threads on Rennlist about oil pressure and associated problems that people were having and have had with the pressure sender. Mine has always behaved a bit strangely as the gauge would jump around sharply sometimes. So I thought I had better change it before dropping the engine again. Matt at Type 911 has OEM german made ones at a reasonable price and keeps them in stock so I bought one.
So on the non varioram car just remove the airbox and access is fine. Having failed to get the sender out easily I just undid the two 10mm bolts and took the whole housing out.
Well, to say the big "O" ring that seals the housing was in bad condition was an understatement. It was hard and had also been pinched when originally fitted.
I don't know how it was not changed while the engine was out but it wasn't. So Matt also keeps the "O" rings in stock and one nice fat green one later the sender was changed and it was all back together.
The very top of the engine has always looked a bit oily, but I thought that was just residue from the original breather debacle, and my brother and I thought there was not much chance that much oil could leak out of the engine from there. The M.O. of the leak was so strange it just did not seem likely to be coming from up there also. Sometimes the car would leak no oil while sitting for a week then after 3 weeks there would be 1/4 of a litre under the car.
But it was from the sender housing. The leak has gone, the smell has gone. Its just great. No more drips following the car as I pull away (especially embarassing in the rain).
Plus, with the new sender the oil pressure reads totally normal even when hot. The resistor mod to the oil temp sender in the front to cut the fan in earlier also helps.
So I am super happy as it was a major issue.
Apologies for the long post!
Berni
Back in 2011ish I rebuilt the top end of the engine with my brother (broken piston ring). All went well, but the car was left with a significant oil leak.
Over the years I have looked to no avail to actually find where it was coming from. I thought I had it early on when I discovered the jubilee clip to the crankcase breather had not been done up. But no. It looked like the cylinder bases were a real possible, but hard to prove. Also when we sealed the cam housings on we were a bit slow with one as it got caught on a locating pin and I thought the sealant may have gone off a bit.
So I was resigned to taking the engine out again. I have been living abroad the last 7+ years so it just had not happened. If it was not so cold recently I would have dropped it out and also done the bottom end as well this time. The reason for the bottom end being considered for a refurb was because in traffic with the temp above 9 o'clock the oil warning light would flick on, so I suspected low oil pressure.
Then I was reading threads on Rennlist about oil pressure and associated problems that people were having and have had with the pressure sender. Mine has always behaved a bit strangely as the gauge would jump around sharply sometimes. So I thought I had better change it before dropping the engine again. Matt at Type 911 has OEM german made ones at a reasonable price and keeps them in stock so I bought one.
So on the non varioram car just remove the airbox and access is fine. Having failed to get the sender out easily I just undid the two 10mm bolts and took the whole housing out.
Well, to say the big "O" ring that seals the housing was in bad condition was an understatement. It was hard and had also been pinched when originally fitted.
I don't know how it was not changed while the engine was out but it wasn't. So Matt also keeps the "O" rings in stock and one nice fat green one later the sender was changed and it was all back together.
The very top of the engine has always looked a bit oily, but I thought that was just residue from the original breather debacle, and my brother and I thought there was not much chance that much oil could leak out of the engine from there. The M.O. of the leak was so strange it just did not seem likely to be coming from up there also. Sometimes the car would leak no oil while sitting for a week then after 3 weeks there would be 1/4 of a litre under the car.
But it was from the sender housing. The leak has gone, the smell has gone. Its just great. No more drips following the car as I pull away (especially embarassing in the rain).
Plus, with the new sender the oil pressure reads totally normal even when hot. The resistor mod to the oil temp sender in the front to cut the fan in earlier also helps.
So I am super happy as it was a major issue.
Apologies for the long post!
Berni
