Minor leak in engine?

[Juddder]

Hi everyone - hope you are all well and long time no posting as the Cerbera has been behaving itself!

Just checked in the engine bay today, and it appears that there is a slight leak in the engine bay.

Here's a photo and it looks like it might be a bit of the 'sealant' around the head of the bottom left of the engine V.

If so is this an easy fix, or is it that head off, new gasket/sealant/whatever TVR used, and then put it all back together again?

Any thoughts much appreciated!

Many thanks

Alex

[gruffalo]

Mine gets marking there as well, my understanding is that is where the crankcase breather goes into the air intake and it is entirely normal.

Certainly mine has been doing it since I had it, some 25k miles and it never gets a mention at service time as anything that needs attention.

[mikesr]

It could be the oil trap under the offside airbox or the breather hose connected to it blowing oil.

[Juddder]

Thanks guys - that's very reassuring as it didn't look too much like of a problem but thought it always best to check!

I'll ask the mechanics to check it next time it goes in, but might have more likely been caused by showing off to the nephew when going round London a few weeks ago :-)

[billy no brakes]

Juddder said:

Thanks guys - that's very reassuring as it didn't look too much like of a problem but thought it always best to check!

I'll ask the mechanics to check it next time it goes in, but might have more likely been caused by showing off to the nephew when going round London a few weeks ago :-)

From one Judd to another Judd, as the others have said it looks like the oil breather under the air intake is leaking, it is easy to find just feel under the air intake and you will find a round bit with a pipe attached to it, the pipe has a jubilee clip that needs tighten or the pipe is past its sell by date and needs replacing either way it is not a problem.

[Juddder]

billy no brakes said:

From one Judd to another Judd, as the others have said it looks like the oil breather under the air intake is leaking, it is easy to find just feel under the air intake and you will find a round bit with a pipe attached to it, the pipe has a jubilee clip that needs tighten or the pipe is past its sell by date and needs replacing either way it is not a problem.

Thanks Gary!

You can always rely on a Judd - fantastic advice many thanks and yes I'll check that one out tomorrow :-) !!

Will update how I get on...

Thanks again

Alex

[Cyclone1]

Hi Alex,

Good to see this Cerb is still going strong.

Jules.

[robsco]

Almost certainly breather pipe near driver's airbox. Mine does exactly the same. Nothing to worry about.

[Juddder]

Cyclone1 said:

Hi Alex,

Good to see this Cerb is still going strong.

Jules.

Thanks Jules - I'm still looking after it well for you :-)

(even if it does try it's best to challenge me in the wet sometimes!)

[Juddder]

robsco said:

Almost certainly breather pipe near driver's airbox. Mine does exactly the same. Nothing to worry about.

Thanks everyone - yes I think you're right

I dug my head underneath with a camera and as you can see per the shot below, my oily finger is pointing at the breather pipe which looks OK but is a little loose and has a mist of oil over it where it connects.

I think the plan would be to release the clip connecting to the engine (on the right) and then twist that end of the pipe around so that I can get to the jubilee clip under the drivers air box on the left hand end.

Then clean, refit (or buy a new one as the pipe looks pretty ropey) and tighten and I reckon that should fix it for good - any other tips of better ways to fix (* or ignore :-) ) much appreciated



Alex

[billy no brakes]

Juddder said:

Thanks everyone - yes I think you're right

I dug my head underneath with a camera and as you can see per the shot below, my oily finger is pointing at the breather pipe which looks OK but is a little loose and has a mist of oil over it where it connects.

I think the plan would be to release the clip connecting to the engine (on the right) and then twist that end of the pipe around so that I can get to the jubilee clip under the drivers air box on the left hand end.

Then clean, refit (or buy a new one as the pipe looks pretty ropey) and tighten and I reckon that should fix it for good - any other tips of better ways to fix (* or ignore :-) ) much appreciated



Alex

Alex

Just one observation, the breather pipe is touching the metal water rail which gets very hot and will melt the rubber, if I was you I would buy a longer pipe and re-route it away from the water rail,where my oil breather pipe goes into the engine the metal pipe is straight and was very short so I had it extended so the rubber pipe now goes over the water rail, yours is at a right angle as some are but if I was you I would route the pipe away from the water rail

[billy no brakes]

Juddder said:

Thanks everyone - yes I think you're right

I dug my head underneath with a camera and as you can see per the shot below, my oily finger is pointing at the breather pipe which looks OK but is a little loose and has a mist of oil over it where it connects.

I think the plan would be to release the clip connecting to the engine (on the right) and then twist that end of the pipe around so that I can get to the jubilee clip under the drivers air box on the left hand end.

Then clean, refit (or buy a new one as the pipe looks pretty ropey) and tighten and I reckon that should fix it for good - any other tips of better ways to fix (* or ignore :-) ) much appreciated



Alex

I have added a photo see below

[billy no brakes]

Juddder said:

Thanks everyone - yes I think you're right

I dug my head underneath with a camera and as you can see per the shot below, my oily finger is pointing at the breather pipe which looks OK but is a little loose and has a mist of oil over it where it connects.

I think the plan would be to release the clip connecting to the engine (on the right) and then twist that end of the pipe around so that I can get to the jubilee clip under the drivers air box on the left hand end.

Then clean, refit (or buy a new one as the pipe looks pretty ropey) and tighten and I reckon that should fix it for good - any other tips of better ways to fix (* or ignore :-) ) much appreciated



Alex

Alex

Just noticed something your bleed nut on the water rail is missing the the wing nut might be worth getting one make life easier when you need to bleed the water system , look at my photo and you can see the wing nut, and just in case your wondering why my dipstick is at the front of the engine you have the old engine with the dipstick at the back, mine was once until the engine went bang

[Juddder]

billy no brakes said:

Just noticed something your bleed nut on the water rail is missing the the wing nut might be worth getting one make life easier when you need to bleed the water system , look at my photo and you can see the wing nut, and just in case your wondering why my dipstick is at the front of the engine you have the old engine with the dipstick at the back, mine was once until the engine went bang

Thanks Gary - and for the photo which is an excellent explanation!

As the earlier engines like mine have a right hand on the metal from the crank case, I think my plan is to get a standard one for the moment, replace the leaking one, and then have the straight versus angle pipe cut and extended to straight when it's next in the mechanic guys :-]

I've done a quick research on the replacement parts (there's nothing in the alternative parts list in my version :-) ) and I think the following is what I need:

Breather Hose (V8 like mine) - http://www.thetvrshop.com/TVR/Parts_details/TVR%20...

Bleed Valve - http://www.thetvrshop.com/TVR/Parts_details/TVR%20...

also the Clever Trevor guys have an upgraded oil breather which is an alloy replacement for the plastic original one by the look of it so might be a worthy upgrade

Oil Breather - http://www.clever-trevor.net/TVR/Parts_details/RT0...

Not sure about the alloy breather but guess the better the fit, the more useful the recirculation is!!!

Thanks again

Alex

[Tanguero]

billy no brakes said:

Alex

Just one observation, the breather pipe is touching the metal water rail which gets very hot and will melt the rubber, if I was you I would buy a longer pipe and re-route it away from the water rail,where my oil breather pipe goes into the engine the metal pipe is straight and was very short so I had it extended so the rubber pipe now goes over the water rail, yours is at a right angle as some are but if I was you I would route the pipe away from the water rail

The water rail isn't going to be much hotter than 80 degrees. If your rubber is melting at that temperature you have bigger problems than the breather pipe

[billy no brakes]

Tanguero said:

The water rail isn't going to be much hotter than 80 degrees. If your rubber is melting at that temperature you have bigger problems than the breather pipe

Does the temprature not go up to 110 and the pipe gets squashed against the engine as well

[billy no brakes]

Juddder said:

Thanks Gary - and for the photo which is an excellent explanation!

As the earlier engines like mine have a right hand on the metal from the crank case, I think my plan is to get a standard one for the moment, replace the leaking one, and then have the straight versus angle pipe cut and extended to straight when it's next in the mechanic guys :-]

I've done a quick research on the replacement parts (there's nothing in the alternative parts list in my version :-) ) and I think the following is what I need:

Breather Hose (V8 like mine) - http://www.thetvrshop.com/TVR/Parts_details/TVR%20...

Bleed Valve - http://www.thetvrshop.com/TVR/Parts_details/TVR%20...

also the Clever Trevor guys have an upgraded oil breather which is an alloy replacement for the plastic original one by the look of it so might be a worthy upgrade

Oil Breather - http://www.clever-trevor.net/TVR/Parts_details/RT0...

Not sure about the alloy breather but guess the better the fit, the more useful the recirculation is!!!

Thanks again

Alex

Alex

Just go to a good motor parts shop and they will match the hose.

Check where the oil breather is leaking it can probarbly be fixed
if not get the upgrade

[Tanguero]

billy no brakes said:

Tanguero said:

The water rail isn't going to be much hotter than 80 degrees. If your rubber is melting at that temperature you have bigger problems than the breather pipe

Does the temprature not go up to 110 and the pipe gets squashed against the engine as well

My pipe (on a 4.2) doesn't get squashed against the engine - it goes round the front of the water rail as in the photos above. If your water rail gets that hot then there are other issues - the fans come on at about 85 and you shouldn't see a water temperature that high. Regardless - the rubber wont start melting until it gets a lot hotter than that. Try dunking the hose in boiling water and see how little happens.

[billy no brakes]

Tanguero said:

My pipe (on a 4.2) doesn't get squashed against the engine - it goes round the front of the water rail as in the photos above. If your water rail gets that hot then there are other issues - the fans come on at about 85 and you shouldn't see a water temperature that high. Regardless - the rubber wont start melting until it gets a lot hotter than that. Try dunking the hose in boiling water and see how little happens.

I,am talking about your car, if you look at Judders photos the pipe goes behind the water rain and is squashed agianst the engine just the way mine one did an it melt the rubber becuase of the combined heat of the water rail and the engine. My fans do not come in untill about 105-110 and I would suggest most Cerberas don,t either, Dunikg the pipe in boiling water is hardly going have the same effect as bot sides of the being subjected to constant heat from metal

[scotty_d]

Mine was leaking from the oil trap on the box as well, In the end I took it to my mates body shop and he pulled it apart. It had either been damaged before or was badly Put together at the Factory in the first place. I am thinking the second as i am not alone it seems.


Any way my mate dug out all the old fiber Glass and re-seated it and it does not leak from there any more.

My fans Kick in at around 95 and the car has never gone above that on the indicated gauge value, It takes it down to around 90 when stuck in traffic and seems happy at that.

Edited by scotty_d on Monday 30th July 11:53