Hi everyone. I have an ongoing problem with my 96' Sti version 3 and would greatly appreciate some help
The car developed an oil leak resulting in smoke rising through the bonnet vents and the terrible burning oil smell. I had the car looked at and was told that both rocker cover gaskets and front crank seal were leaking and needed replacing. This work was done and they don't appear to be leaking anymore. Unfortunately the car is still leaking oil and smoking from the bonnet, drivers side. I have had the power steering reservoir seal replaced and all oil pipes checked and new jubilee clips put on but to no avail. On closer inspection it seems there is a small collection of oil underneath the inlet manifold sitting on the block. Where could this oil be leaking from? this looks like the only place the car is smoking from now and I'm desperate to get it finally sorted. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

cam, crank breathers / the vent pipes from them.

Simon

 

Hi Simon. I'm pretty sure these have been checked. Any other ideas?

 

left over from powersteering leak?

jet wash it with engine running see if oil returns?

Simon

 

Last time the car was in the oil that had leaked was cleaned off and by the time I got home the oil was there again! Its starting to do my head in now. Could it be anything more sinister like head gasket?

 

very very unlikely to be anything like that..

Simon

 

done the same myself .refitted new rocker gasket .but it a tight small hand job really .and is eay to bend rubber gasket .what boost ya running ??

if it hitting headers i would say have a closer look at rockers again .

 

The mechanic is going to take the manifold off this week to see if there is anything obvious but thats gonna take him quite a long time. The crank and rocker cover gaskets don't seem to be leaking now and hes checked all piping so I think he is running out of ideas. It seems like ages since I haven't seen smoke coming out of the scoops!

 

Hi Mooro. I'm running standard boost. It seems to be dry under the rocker cover.

 

sounds like oil pressure switch to me. it sits on the top of the block at the front and when it leaks it sends oil down the front timing cover and over the top of the block. they are £7 from a motor factor or about £27 from the dealer, go for the later option for better reliability

 

Hi Steve. It would be great if it that! what needs to come off to get at that? There doesn't seem to be oil on timing cover though just on the block under manifold. It smokes drivers side only now. Do you still think pressure switch though?

 

Just spoken to mechanic and he has checked the pressure switch and crank/cam breathers and they were all fine. Also the rocker cover gasket is no longer leaking. He thinks it could be a weeping head gasket Is there anything else it could be? Thanks for all you help so far, appreciate it.

 

I have just driven the car and have noticed something else which may be causing the problem. The power steering is whining and every time you turn the wheel you can hear it and the engine note changes. Could this be the cause of the smoke? Power steering pump knackered? Iv'e had the reservoir repaired with a new seal but could it be leaking pump end? I'll check my power steering fluid level tomorrow. What do you think guys?

 

sounds like ypu still have a ps leak... the noise is low level of oil most likely

 

Thanks for the reply Simon. Do you think its probably leaking from the pump as the reservoir has been repaired. Would it really cause so much smoke? I know a new power steering pump is pricey but I'm hoping it is this rather than a head gasket fault as suspected by the mechanic! Everything else it could be has been sorted!

 

I really cannot see it being the head gasket.. or the actual pump just a seal

there is two seals on the early resevior that tend to fail.. one on the nozzle on the bottom of the resevoir which goes into the top of the pump and then one on the shaft of the pump.. it is usual for the one on the nozzle to fail.
You can increase the seal by using a seal in the top of the pump between resevoir and pump which is not normally used on the early car as it will only stop a leak from between the pump and the frame that holds the resevoir.. but worth doing whilst off.. tbh how well do you know what the garage are doing is 100%.. worth trying a specialist?

Simon

 

Power steering fluid tends to have a different smell to oil whilst burning..

As JGM says, it's rare for the head gasket to just leak oil externally.

 

The Bloke doing the car is a friend of a friend so has done a lot of work for very little money. The crank seal and rocker covers definately needed doing cos I could see the oil leaking from them myself. As you can probably tell i'm not that technically minded with cars myself lol! Its getting very frustrating with the car still smoking after all this work. I checked my power steering fluid this morning which was low so topped it up and the whining has gone. Still smoke however but not constantly. I would love to take it to a specialist but I can't find one where I am apart from main dealers. Does anyone know a specialist in the devon area preferably torbay? Once again thanks for all your help so far.

 

The early power steering reservoirs are two piece and often leak from where the two halves meet so remove it and take a good look around this lip.
We've had a number of classics in with leaky ps systems that have been fixed elsewhere with replacement O ring(s) yet still leak and this is often the cause.

I'm not familiar with your area geographicaly but Alan Jeffery is in or around Plymouth.

 

Thanks very much! Its going in Thursday so fingers crossed should be sorted. Fed up of seeing embarassing smoke coming out of the vents