Oil leak - help needed

snipped-for-privacy@anyone.plus.com(Paul S) wrote in news:433fd042$0$49808$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net:

Sounds like the rocker cover gasket. It might be an idea to clean off all the excess oil. Then if you keep a close eye on it, you'll be able to pinpoint the source of the leak.

it could be coming from the oil way which is in the cylinder head & mates with the one on the block, the only cure is a head removal and cylinder head skim.

removal and cylinder head

You could well be right Reg. I've cleaned off as much as I can, but it really needs steam cleaning, as I can't get to some of the bits behind the alternator and its wiring.

Your theory would account for oil only showing up at the front of the engine i.e. not much at the cambelt end, and frankly, if its not coming from either the camshaft seal, crankshaft seal or from the sump (would'nt get to the top side of alternator from there), then there's nowhere else left.

Guess skimming etc would cost £200/£300 ?

no skimming wont cost you that much, our local engineering company dose just a skim for about £30, have a ring around your local ones get a rough idea then, your need a head gasket set & while its off perhaps think about changing the timing belt.

Ooh, er, well, I was'nt thinking of doing it myself. Do both mating surfaces have to be skimmed ? Not sure I fancy taking every component of the engine. Seems a bit daunting. Presume you then fit thicker gaskets to maintain bore height ?

Would £200-£300 be garage cost ?

Assuming it is leaking between the blocks, could that be causing any other problems, like poor compression ?

ah, then your prolly looking at £150- £200 ring around first for some quotes, its only the cylinder head that needs skimming, the block just a clean up with some emery paper of similar, the gasket isn't that thicker if any difference at all.