Confusing Oil Leak on TDI Cab

[derek_acorah]

Evening,

I noticed that my 1997 tdi cab was leaving a patch of oil where it was parked. Not a flood by any means, but enough to leave a patch. I've had cardboard under the engine all weekend, and it was definately depositing, what looks to me, like fresh engine oil. Oil level was fine on the dip, so certainly it was not leaving pints. Hard to say how much in volume, cos it was being soaked up by the cardboard.

I couldn't see the source of the leak so I've today taken it to a local garage.

First thing he said was that it was covered in oil, and was worried it was leaking from the head gasket. Now, I'm certainly no mechanic, but I've seen head gasket problems before and it was displaying no 'classic' head gasket symptoms. Oil was clear and not mayonnaise like, the coolant likewise, and no problems with overheating.

They have cleaned it and run it for a long time in the garage. No more leaking oil. Again, not an expert, but I'd guess that with the oil nice and hot and runny, any leaking would have appeared again. Not a sausage.

Just to say : no other symptoms at all, runs fantastically.

It's going to stay overnight, and tomorrow they are going to take it on a run to see if anything appears.

So, my question.....anyone had any similar experiences? Anyone know any likely sources of this leak?

Any advice, gratefully recieved. And, although it's cheeky of me to ask, any advice given quickly would be even more gratefully recieved, cos it's in the garage right now.

Cheers,

Derek.

EDIT : It's a 2 litre manual 1997.....

 

[B5NUT]

Is this an old Audi 80 Cab?

 

[derek_acorah]

Hi, nope its an A4 B7.

 

[B5NUT]

What 1997! the B7 did not start until 2005.

 

[B5NUT]

Or are you saying it's a 2.0 TDi?

 

[jdp1962]

Yeah, some help here, please.Was the car made in 1997 or does it have a 1997cc engine?

 

[jdp1962]

Or are you saying it's a 2.0 TDi?

They're 1968cc, IIRC.

 

[wigandill]

Leaking turbo outlet pipe maybe, mine was badly worn on the lugs inside the turbo. I bought a bayonet adaptor from darkside and had it welded in the turbo. Then had it rebuilt for good measure. Mine used to leave little oil patches, would also explain why no oil when ticking over, no boost to spray it everywere

 

[derek_acorah]

Leaking turbo outlet pipe maybe, mine was badly worn on the lugs inside the turbo. I bought a bayonet adaptor from darkside and had it welded in the turbo. Then had it rebuilt for good measure. Mine used to leave little oil patches, would also explain why no oil when ticking over, no boost to spray it everywere

Interesting, thanks. I'll certainly mention that.

To other repliers, my bad, many apologies. When I said 1997, I meant 2007. A thousand apologies, I'm an idiot who was going out last night, and posted the original in a hurry.

Cheers,

Derek.

 

[derek_acorah]

Okay, the garage has taken it for a 15 mile thrash, no more leak.

I'm baffled. Will use it normally for a fortnight or so see if anything returns.

Many thanks to the group for listening, apologies for my **** up with the year of the car. Fat fingers.

If anyone has any other theory / info that might be useful please let me know.

I hate mysteries, so the cynical side in me is stepping up to the plate. The same garage serviced it a couple of months ago, including an oil change. Could they have ballsed something up at the time, and it's been leaking slowly since then, and collecting in the undertray so I didn't notice. Now they fix it, and put it down to some kind of mystical event? Surely not, that's too cynical......

Cheers,

Derek.

 

[jdp1962]

I once had an oil stain appear on the driveway underneath my old B5 2.8 Quattro. It dripped and grew over a matter of weeks. Turned out to be nothing more sinister than an old spillage of oil that had never been wiped off. The location of it meant it just stayed where it was and then when the car was used, it warmed it just enough to cause it to drip when the car was parked.

 

[jdp1962]

Interesting, thanks. I'll certainly mention that.

To other repliers, my bad, many apologies. When I said 1997, I meant 2007. A thousand apologies, I'm an idiot who was going out last night, and posted the original in a hurry.

Cheers,

Derek.

We've all done it.

 

[Joe_Murphy21187]

It's not abnormal for engines to develop oil leaks over time, although some might argue that 2007 (mileage dependent) is a little soon to be seeing a leak.

Keep an eye on the oil level on a weekly basis and if it isn't changing noticeably over a couple of months it's probably negligible.

I've got a similar minor leak with mine (07' with 135,000 miles) but also a dodgy oil level sensor. So each time I get the warning I check the level when I get home... so far I've put in about 500ml once 4 months after a service, hardly what I'd call massive oil consumption! NB: I'll get the sensor replaced when I next have the oil changed during a service.