MD11 spraying out a little brown oil...gentle pointers welcome

[FairweatherDave]

Vic has got the photo in the following post. (thanks)

Hope one of the above works.

If anyone recognises something familiar in the photo and thinks they know the problem I'd be interested. I've had a very very brief peek around. I did think it might be coming from a very slightly loose dipstick plug mount but not convinced. Equally is it a gasket or from the oil breather pipe? Does oil go brown in contact with a damp outside of engine or is it already an emulsion due to water in the engine? It is not that classic creamy colour nor plain clean engine oil.

If you need to get orientated the pik shows the port side of the engine under the air intakes and the socket above the oil filter is for hand cranking....

And the engine seems to be running absolutely fine

 

[VicS]

Y

Very probably coming from the crank case breather hose which should link the vent on the oil filler at the back of the engine with the rear "frying pan" (its only a loose fit in the frying pan)

The joints on the dipstick assembly (both between the dipstick and the strainer assembly and between the strainer and the crankcase) MUST be 100% because it forms part of the oil pump suction from the sump. Any leaks there will starve the pump of oil.


BTW you need to untick the "link back to album" option in your Photobucket settings. Then post pictures by just copying (it will auto copy) and pasting the IMG code.

 

[Dave_Seager]

It is hard to tell from the photograph but there does not appear to be any oil splashing on the top of the cranking shaft. It could be an oil seal on the shaft that has failed. Try covering the shaft sleeve with something, running the engine and see if the spray is inside or outside of the covering.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks Vic and Dave. Cos I don't use photobucket enough I thought I'd manage to mess up the privacy settings. so I've been playing there. Next time I go to the boat I will take some sticky tape and paper towel not to mention something to clean myself up with afterwards. Trouble is kids and wife don't like it when Dad is ineptly tinkering...... Last excursion had its moment when dipstick jumped all by itself into the bilge under a hot engine...... Will have a very close look where you describe Vic as I know exactly where you mean (it is where i first looked too)

PS Observations as to the colour of the oil, why it is orangey brown welcome.

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Thanks Vic and Dave. Cos I don't use photobucket enough I thought I'd manage to mess up the privacy settings. so I've been playing there. Next time I go to the boat I will take some sticky tape and paper towel not to mention something to clean myself up with afterwards. Trouble is kids and wife don't like it when Dad is ineptly tinkering...... Last excursion had its moment when dipstick jumped all by itself into the bilge under a hot engine...... Will have a very close look where you describe Vic as I know exactly where you mean (it is where i first looked too)

PS Observations as to the colour of the oil, why it is orangey brown welcome.

I think you have a leaking oil seal at the point where the hand start dog shaft drive enters the back of the engine.

See this link page 25 for details http://www.bluemoment.com/manuals/VolvoMD11C_D_17C_D.pdf

As to the orangy brown colour, perhaps this is just the oil picking up rust residue on the shaft. If you look on the pic, the shaft of the hand start shaft is the same colour.

 

[VicS]

It is hard to tell from the photograph but there does not appear to be any oil splashing on the top of the cranking shaft. It could be an oil seal on the shaft that has failed. Try covering the shaft sleeve with something, running the engine and see if the spray is inside or outside of the covering.

I think you have a leaking oil seal at the point where the hand start dog shaft drive enters the back of the engine.

See this link page 25 for details http://www.bluemoment.com/manuals/VolvoMD11C_D_17C_D.pdf

As to the orangy brown colour, perhaps this is just the oil picking up rust residue on the shaft. If you look on the pic, the shaft of the hand start shaft is the same colour.

And being thrown out of the hole in under side of the housing, although I think that should be plugged with #32

I reckon you could be right.. There is an oil seal, #6, and an O ring, #7, in there.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks for the further replies. I have had another look but have not tried yet testing it in the manner suggested by Dave Seager. I don't think it is coming from the oil breather pipe area and it does look likely it could be coming from the hand cranking shaft drive, which given it presumably spins as the engine runs and so would account for the spray "effect". My only other observation was I remembered coating everything in ACF 50 to prevent rust over winter and might have been over zealous in that area, and the ACF 50 could have changed colour over time? (but I really don't think this is the problem)....
I think we might have a diagnosis though.

 

[kellys]

Hi Dave,

I have seen a similar spray pattern before, it is the result of a worn o-ring seal(s) between the cylinder and the block. These o-rings are part of the sealing ring kit. The pathway that it is supposed to contain is the return path for push rods and oil pipe channels.

Unfortunately the cylinder has to come off to replace these o-rings. In the mean time I have put a line of caulking along the joint between the cylinder and the block. This has changed the spray mess into a drip that runs down the side of the engine. Until I plan to replace the rings and hone the cylinders it will have to stay that way.

regards,

Shane K