My 130K 2.5TD has for the past few weeks started needing its engine oil topping up much more often than normal. It still runs fine, no black smoke, even on start up and feels as strong as even.
I'd noticed that the engine block around the base of the rocker cover had a good covering of oil along with what lookied like oil trails from the fixing nuts at the top of the cover - i thought they might be loose and dripping but they were not.
Had a 400 trip to do yesterday so gunked the engine in the hope that i would be able to spot to source of the oil when the engine block was cleaner.
Did a 100 miles on the motorway, when i pulled into the services oil warning light come on at tickover - opened the bonnet to find the engine oil covering the inner bonnet and most of the engine and the filler cap was off.
I'm pretty sure i didnt leave it off - topped the oil up, replaced the filler cap and did another 100 miles and all seemed well but the level had gone down a bit.
Did a further 100 miles and the warning light is back on at tickover agaian - topped up again and drove (slower) home to find the level had dropped, but only a bit.
Last last night i gunked the whole engine bay with a view to cleaning it this morning - from what i can see the problem is going to be anything from a blocked breather to dead rings - am i thinking along the right lines with this diagnosis or is there another angle i should be looking at?