Thought I'd give this its own thread. I don't have a great track record of fixing oil leaks but maybe that will start with this car.
Here are some shots from tonight. Nothing really stands out here. Need to look under the car and see what's wet.
Wiped
This doesn't show anything other than oil is making its way to the bottom cover. Seeping stuff is not the same as leaking. I'm not going to fix seeps, just stuff where I'm clearly losing quantities of oil. Need to get under the car except it's a whole ordeal because.....I don't have a lift and need to put on special clothes to roll around on a dirty floor.
Oil in the front could be a clue. Hope it's not something annoying like the front main, oil pan, etc.
04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
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Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
Gave these a second look.
Definitely an area to examine. Maybe the oil filter housing is leaking at the bottom? Really hoping this is one of the easier leaks to fix, not one that requires taking a bunch of shit apart. But it kind of makes me nervous because I wonder if it's being flung from a serpentine pulley.
I will also try to examine the passenger side front of the engine. One guy said his cam position sensor was leaking (that's one of the easy fixes) and maybe it's dripping on the serpentine and getting flung to the driver's side. I'm on a mission now.
Definitely an area to examine. Maybe the oil filter housing is leaking at the bottom? Really hoping this is one of the easier leaks to fix, not one that requires taking a bunch of shit apart. But it kind of makes me nervous because I wonder if it's being flung from a serpentine pulley.
I will also try to examine the passenger side front of the engine. One guy said his cam position sensor was leaking (that's one of the easy fixes) and maybe it's dripping on the serpentine and getting flung to the driver's side. I'm on a mission now.
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Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
This might be easy.
https://youtu.be/z0_-yHoBFvQ
The 3 seals come to $48.69.
Also need to rewatch this.
https://youtu.be/yU4K-mBDSeQ
And not sure why I never found this before:
https://blog.fcpeuro.com/how-to-fix-com ... -oil-leaks
Alright here's what I am ordering. I'm just gonna order this stuff before I check. Trying Pelican Parts for these (Mercedes OEM).
Oil Filter Housing to Oil Cooler: 389-267-00-80. $14.50
Oil Filter Housing to Oil Cooler (the other one): 112-184-02-61. $20.17
Oil Filter Housing Seal Ring - Housing to Timing Case: 112-184-00-61. $3.03
Front oil pressure port copper crush washer: 007603-012110. $2.19
Pressure port gasket: 112-184-02-80. $6.00
And on Amazon:
46 mm socket (3/4" drive): $12.96
1/2 to 3/4" adapter because I lost mine already: $7.99
It seems this will likely fix the common causes of the leak I think I have. Still haven't gotten under the car to inspect. Also this may have gotten some oil on my belts....I may need to replace them again. That kinda sucks. Should have done FCP Euro!! This may also be a good time to do coolant. And I have to remove the oil filter anyway so....oil change too? I mean it will need it before the trip anyway.
I hope this isn't my issue....oil cooler lines. This is harder and more expensive. But if it is I definitely don't want to drive to NC with leaking lines. Asking for trouble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bzQLYQwVlc
This is a great video as well. He does both the oil filter housing/cooler gaskets as well as the lines. Really crossing my fingers that I don't need to do lines. But I probably do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xDD6dBQMfQ
https://youtu.be/z0_-yHoBFvQ
The 3 seals come to $48.69.
Also need to rewatch this.
https://youtu.be/yU4K-mBDSeQ
And not sure why I never found this before:
https://blog.fcpeuro.com/how-to-fix-com ... -oil-leaks
Alright here's what I am ordering. I'm just gonna order this stuff before I check. Trying Pelican Parts for these (Mercedes OEM).
Oil Filter Housing to Oil Cooler: 389-267-00-80. $14.50
Oil Filter Housing to Oil Cooler (the other one): 112-184-02-61. $20.17
Oil Filter Housing Seal Ring - Housing to Timing Case: 112-184-00-61. $3.03
Front oil pressure port copper crush washer: 007603-012110. $2.19
Pressure port gasket: 112-184-02-80. $6.00
And on Amazon:
46 mm socket (3/4" drive): $12.96
1/2 to 3/4" adapter because I lost mine already: $7.99
It seems this will likely fix the common causes of the leak I think I have. Still haven't gotten under the car to inspect. Also this may have gotten some oil on my belts....I may need to replace them again. That kinda sucks. Should have done FCP Euro!! This may also be a good time to do coolant. And I have to remove the oil filter anyway so....oil change too? I mean it will need it before the trip anyway.
I hope this isn't my issue....oil cooler lines. This is harder and more expensive. But if it is I definitely don't want to drive to NC with leaking lines. Asking for trouble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bzQLYQwVlc
This is a great video as well. He does both the oil filter housing/cooler gaskets as well as the lines. Really crossing my fingers that I don't need to do lines. But I probably do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xDD6dBQMfQ
Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
Adam and I inspected what we could after lunch. I can say there is no evidence of any leaks at the top part of the oil cooler lines. So there is nothing more I can inspect without getting under the car. There is a spot on the lines that I need to look at but based on where the oil seems to start under it, I don't think it's the lines. This would be good news of course but we'll see.
Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
Did the filter housing gaskets. It wasn't too bad.
I removed the oil filter cartridge. Then I went after the 46mm bolt. Needed to put a pipe on my breaker bar. This made me nervous but it broke free and was fine. I unthreaded that. I also had to remove a bolt that holds the oil lines to the filter housing. And I had to pull a vacuum line off the supercharger. Then I just picked up the whole thing so I could access the 4 bolts that hold the oil cooler plate to the filter housing. Just some T-30 bolts. Pretty easy. Then I just popped it off with a little screwdriver leverage.
The old gaskets were just totally aged. They were completely crushed and had become plasticized. Very much needed.
Here's my oil filter. I just laid it over here while I worked. Wasn't ready to do my oil change yet so I just put it back in when I was done.
From underneath I looked up and in fact I think this is where my big leak was coming from. The circle area is directly under the oil filter housing.
Then just sort of put it all back together after cleaning stuff. I torqued the big bolt to 70 Nm.
After those three gaskets I decided to tackle the timing cover pressure port cover gasket which Alex from LSC claims also leaks. Except I couldn't find the damn thing. Had to reference the LSC video again. I stuck my fingers through an area of the belt and thought I could feel it but I could NOT see it. Ended up slipping the belt off the tensioner so I could actually get my T-30 socket on the bolts. Finally I managed to loosen the bolts (they were not that tight) and got the cover free. The gasket was not super hard like the other ones. I am not sure it was leaking. But I ordered it so I wanted to replace it.
Cleaning the surface was interesting. I sprayed some brake cleaner on a shop towel and shoved it where I thought the gasket surface was. Had to use a mirror to actually inspect to make sure it was clean, and it was. Sheesh. Getting the bolts in was even more tricky than removing but again I managed, completely by feel.
I considered replacing the copper crush washer. But I didn't see the need. It was tight and I just left it. Unless you are reusing them constantly, they don't just randomly start leaking (unlike other seals/gaskets).
I also used a bunch of brake cleaner to remove all the caked on oil. I think I should replace the serpentine belt because it's been getting oily. It must have taken me another 15 minutes to figure how the belt routes and I didn't even pull it off more than the tensioner but it's so damn long that it gets confusing.
I did eventually start the car and didn't see anything leaking but time will tell.
I also retorqued my valve cover bolts. Most of them were loose. Interesting. I couldn't get to a couple of them toward the back but was able to retorque most. Maybe this will cut down the seepage. I did like 7 lb-ft.
At the end I used the computer to check the oil level and it said add 1 qt (again). So I did. I am pretty confident these engines just burn a lot of oil but hopefully the leaks are reduced.
I removed the oil filter cartridge. Then I went after the 46mm bolt. Needed to put a pipe on my breaker bar. This made me nervous but it broke free and was fine. I unthreaded that. I also had to remove a bolt that holds the oil lines to the filter housing. And I had to pull a vacuum line off the supercharger. Then I just picked up the whole thing so I could access the 4 bolts that hold the oil cooler plate to the filter housing. Just some T-30 bolts. Pretty easy. Then I just popped it off with a little screwdriver leverage.
The old gaskets were just totally aged. They were completely crushed and had become plasticized. Very much needed.
Here's my oil filter. I just laid it over here while I worked. Wasn't ready to do my oil change yet so I just put it back in when I was done.
From underneath I looked up and in fact I think this is where my big leak was coming from. The circle area is directly under the oil filter housing.
Then just sort of put it all back together after cleaning stuff. I torqued the big bolt to 70 Nm.
After those three gaskets I decided to tackle the timing cover pressure port cover gasket which Alex from LSC claims also leaks. Except I couldn't find the damn thing. Had to reference the LSC video again. I stuck my fingers through an area of the belt and thought I could feel it but I could NOT see it. Ended up slipping the belt off the tensioner so I could actually get my T-30 socket on the bolts. Finally I managed to loosen the bolts (they were not that tight) and got the cover free. The gasket was not super hard like the other ones. I am not sure it was leaking. But I ordered it so I wanted to replace it.
Cleaning the surface was interesting. I sprayed some brake cleaner on a shop towel and shoved it where I thought the gasket surface was. Had to use a mirror to actually inspect to make sure it was clean, and it was. Sheesh. Getting the bolts in was even more tricky than removing but again I managed, completely by feel.
I considered replacing the copper crush washer. But I didn't see the need. It was tight and I just left it. Unless you are reusing them constantly, they don't just randomly start leaking (unlike other seals/gaskets).
I also used a bunch of brake cleaner to remove all the caked on oil. I think I should replace the serpentine belt because it's been getting oily. It must have taken me another 15 minutes to figure how the belt routes and I didn't even pull it off more than the tensioner but it's so damn long that it gets confusing.
I did eventually start the car and didn't see anything leaking but time will tell.
I also retorqued my valve cover bolts. Most of them were loose. Interesting. I couldn't get to a couple of them toward the back but was able to retorque most. Maybe this will cut down the seepage. I did like 7 lb-ft.
At the end I used the computer to check the oil level and it said add 1 qt (again). So I did. I am pretty confident these engines just burn a lot of oil but hopefully the leaks are reduced.
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Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
There is still a leak though I think not as bad as before. There was oil on the anti-roll bar and some spots on the under body cover. I will have to pull the front cover and inspect the front main or whatever else I can see. I will also try to replace the air compressor filter while I am in there.
Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
I took the front cover off. Still not sure where the oil is coming from. I did not see any oil at all under the front seal unless it is just getting flung somehow. So...I'm ignoring it for now. It's definitely on the front left of the engine bay area.
Both of my drain plugs are leaking, the rear worse than the front. But the oil isn't leaking up.
Both of my drain plugs are leaking, the rear worse than the front. But the oil isn't leaking up.
Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
A few hours of parking here left this.
I declare this not fixed. Didn't think it was going to be that easy. That doesn't mean what I replaced was a waste of time, or that it wasn't also leaking.
I declare this not fixed. Didn't think it was going to be that easy. That doesn't mean what I replaced was a waste of time, or that it wasn't also leaking.
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Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
Seems intermittent. I picked Ian up and after we got home I had him hold the revs at 3,000 and then 4,000 while I looked around the engine bay, particularly in the front left of the engine bay. I found nothing at all. Can't fix it if I can't find it.
Re: 04 E55 AMG oil leak diagnosis
Changed the oil from LiquiMoly 5W-40 to M1 Formula M 5W-40. Took a look under there. Definitely saw what I assume is a rear main leak and possibly an oil pan leak. The front seemed to be more the front drain plug leaking?
Anyway I did both drain plug washers with new ones finally. Drove 100 miles and checked under the oil filter housing (a bit of a contortion). Felt dry. So maybe this repair is holding after all?
Anyway I did both drain plug washers with new ones finally. Drove 100 miles and checked under the oil filter housing (a bit of a contortion). Felt dry. So maybe this repair is holding after all?