Oil leak question..

[DudesMcBroman]

Noticed a small drop of oil on the garage floor and wanted to see if you guys might have some ideas about where it's coming from. The back side of the oil filter housing has a coat of oil on it, but I can't quite tell where it's coming from. I plan on cleaning up the area real good here soon, so I might be able to tell better. Any suggestions would help though. Thanks!

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[Vegas Smith]

if I were to guess, it would be your oil filter housing gasket. I have to change mine too. I'll let you know how it goes

 

[PlanZero]

Just so you know there are two gaskets, one where the housing bolts to the block and one between the oil cooler and the rest of the housing (that bolt under the oil filter tends to loosen up causing the gasket to leak). Make sure you don't over tighten that bolt on the oil filter housing if replacing the gasket. Also can be leaking from sending unit or turbo line; I usually just use some Kevlar pipe dope. Permatex makes a good thread sealant that's specifically oil and coolant resistant as well.

 

[DudesMcBroman]

Hey, thanks for the quick replies. What you guys said is pretty much exactly what I found after a while searching, but I was thinking the location where I'm seeing the oil is a bit too far away from the area where those gaskets would be.
I'm new to these cars though, so I just might be missing something. I'm about to head out there now and dig a little further into it.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Just so you know there are two gaskets, one where the housing bolts to the block and one between the oil cooler and the rest of the housing (that bolt under the oil filter tends to loosen up causing the gasket to leak). Make sure you don't over tighten that bolt on the oil filter housing if replacing the gasket. Also can be leaking from sending unit or turbo line; I usually just use some Kevlar pipe dope. Permatex makes a good thread sealant that's specifically oil and coolant resistant as well.

Interesting. I never knew there was a second gasket. Do you have a link to the interior gasket near the housing bolt?

 

[Vegas Smith]

This thing?:

http://www.streettunedmotorsports.com/parts/oem_dsm_oil_cooler_seal.htm

 

[91talonts1]

Kinda looks like it could be seeping from behind the timing cover if it's not the ofh. Hard to tell in the pic but it looks to be oily behind the balancer as well. Lots of places to leak in that area, and things to sling it around. I have seen guys on this forum add uv dye to the oil to find leaks, never tried it myself though.

 

[miliman13]

Here is my input, put dye into the engine
Clean the crud and done.

 

[Vegas Smith]

What dye would you suggest?

 

[PlanZero]

The gasket i referred to basically looks like the gasket on your oil filter. Very common place to leak. You should always check that bolt at oil changes. If you replace the gasket be careful not to pinch the new one, they tear easily.
I didn't compare with stm, but the oil cooler gasket is part
MD620908

 

[spyderdrifter]

Don't rule out the oil traveling. Is there oil deposits anywhere else north of the area in your picture? Or (as a long shot if you can't find the cause) somewhere under the timing cover...

 

[DudesMcBroman]

Yeah, unfortunately it does look like it's coming from somewhere behind the timing cover..ugh.
I think it's traveling down and ending up on the OFH. Not positive, but that's what it's looking like. Was hoping it was gonna be something simple.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Look at your cam shaft seals too, behind the cam gears. If those are the cause, you "could" get away with replacing those without doing a timing job.

 

[4g63popo]

Check your front balance shaft as well unsure if you have an elimination kit done but that can be a source of oil in that area too and of course the oil pump seal on the crank.

 

[White flour1gawd]

I just did timing belt and pulled motor. My car had leaks like that. Turned out it was cam and crank seals leaking.

 

[DudesMcBroman]

Thanks for all the replies. Ironically, I ended up selling it before I found out where it was coming from. A guy made me an offer that I couldn't say no to so I had to let it go. Gonna put the profits into building another 2G. So I'm back in the market for a TSI or GSX at the moment.