Eek...car troubles.

robjf

robjf

robjf

Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2003
Posts
4,577
Location
Derby, UK
Basically, i have a R400 and i am currently having a few problems.

Firstly. There is a weird smell coming from the engine bay, and it is quiet potent. When lookling into the engine bay after driving, there isa very light haze of smoke, almost impossible to see it to be honest. What could this be? There are a few drips of oil coming off the gearbox, which im thinking could be related.

Secondly, when accelerating, after the car has warmed up i keep hearing a grinding noise. I cannnot tell where it is coming from. Neither of these problems affects the car aside from the clutch perhaps being a bit *weird* at the moment.

Id be very greatful for any suggestions you may have..

Rob
 
robjf said:
Basically, i have a R400 and i am currently having a few problems.

Firstly. There is a weird smell coming from the engine bay, and it is quiet potent. When lookling into the engine bay after driving, there isa very light haze of smoke, almost impossible to see it to be honest. What could this be? There are a few drips of oil coming off the gearbox, which im thinking could be related.


Rob
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Eggy kinda smell?
 
Well it smells like gearbox oil....Oil kinda coats the box. I thought that oil may be dripping onto the exhaust, before the cat, so cleaned everything up. yet after a slow drive around the block the smell is apparent yet no oil is on the exhaust.

Oh dear :(
 
agw_01 said:
So is the oil on top of the gearbox, or running down the sides?

What 400 is it btw? 414/416 or 420?
Click to expand...

Just down the sides. Just none there atm as i cleaned it, despite a 5 min drive. Th esmell is still there though :(

Its a 414i btw.
 
Ok cool :)

Does the oil appear close to where the gearbox joins the engine block, or is it further away towards the other end of the gearbox?
 
well it looked like it was just dripping off of the bottom, in the middle of it. But i couldnt see where it was coming from, and after leaving it standing for an hour after being cleaned, i still cant. :(
 
This is probably not relevant whatsoever, but:
I had a problem with my escort 1.8D absolutely stinking of oil/diesel fuel, though more oil smell, when driving along/stationary. Windows shut, windows open, vents open/closed = horrid oil smell.
Looking at the sump/gearbox area it was possible to see some small amount of oil leakage- origin unknown, but when I checked the levels of engine and gearbox oil there was no discernable loss.
Eventually I discovered that the oil dip stick tube had split just above the spiggot tube(?) seal with the lower front of the engine block. Most probably due to the top of the dip stick tube not being held in place - being free to waggle about it eventually split the hose at the join.
When the engine was running, oil/oil vapour and (I presume) combustion/exhaust gases were escaping through the split and contaminating the front of the engine block and getting into the air ducting for the heater blower and from there into the car and my lungs :eek:
As it was not an obvious problem it took a while for me to figure it out, at least one diesel 'specialist' garage here in leicester failed to find the cause, despite one of the mechanics commenting on the 'bad oil smell mate' :rolleyes:
 
Oh dear oh dear :(

Just thought id drive to tescos and back, 5 min drive. Got back, opened the bonnet and nice thin cloud of smoke follows the boonet as i open it :(
 
the smoke could be oil thats been burnt off on some parts of the engine, although i dont know much about engines, but thats my little guess, i think the only way for you to really look is to get some axle stands/ramps and lift the front up so you can have a good look around.
 
KnightStalker said:
the smoke could be oil thats been burnt off on some parts of the engine, although i dont know much about engines, but thats my little guess, i think the only way for you to really look is to get some axle stands/ramps and lift the front up so you can have a good look around.
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Ive had it up today but couldnt see anything which looked significantly like it was causing it. Apart from oil which seemed to come from nowhere, but was going nowhere to be burnt.
 
wow, erm, i dont know then, i asked my dad, he said its a strange thing you have got, but hasnt got the slightest idea where and what could be causing it.

sorry that my lame ideas are of no use to you at all.
 
Apparently it could be a leak from the gearbox into the clutch which is causing it, does that sound right?
 
UPDATE

Well i have solved the second problem. The shroud behind the Front offside disc brake was bent so it would hit the disc itself, this has been bent back.

But the main problem is causing me more grief. The Oil, i have discovered, is coming from both of the driveshaft seals on the gearbox (i think driveshaft seal is the right word).

Which im guessing is bad right? Ive put some stop leak into the ****** so lets hope that solves it, else im at a loss as what to do....

Anybody else had this before, how did you remedy it?

Rob
 
robjf said:
, else im at a loss as what to do....

Anybody else had this before, how did you remedy it?

Rob
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get new driveshaft seals? there are like £2 each will cost you a gearbox full of oil 2x seals and an afternoon to remove shafts and refit after replacingseals.
 
Just wondering Rob, how do you drive the car? Wheelspins, foot down quite often?

I'm not going to have a go :) Just wondering, as R65 boxes hate being driven hard. I killed a box when I missed the gear a few too many times :(
 
I did drive fairly hard, however when i had to replace the gearbox the first time i slowed down ;)
 
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