Thanks!

 

NOT common on this late an engine. The 3.6ltr had an issue (AJ6), and the head gasket was modified for that very reason.

Not disputing any Guru's out there, BUT, check the gasket on the upper timing chain tensioner, which is attached to the head RIGHT THERE, and that is a known oil leak area. That will cost "coffee money" to fix, but the head gasket will be a HUGE "coffee money" hit.

 

Thanks, but not the upper tensioner; that area is bone dry.

The leak is definitely coming out of the horizontal intersection of the head & block, right above the block serial pad. If I dry it I can see it ooze oil in a short period of time.

The leak is an "ooze"; not like I'm loosing a lot of oil or anything (have not had to add oil since the last oil change 2 months ago, but it gets the front side of the engine damp with oil, & it stinks. God, I really don't want to invest in this repair, living with the condition for now. The car has little value left, so I can't justify the repair.

 

I have not done this to a jag but i did to my ford diesel which was leaking water from the front of the head.I cleaned the area about 4 inches either side than (to get any oil or other crud off) then lightly groud the ares wirh a finr gringing stone both head and block,then coatd the area with some JBweld,let it cure. It worked was not pumping any water out drove it 200,000 miles after the fix(i was to cheap to go for the long buck to fix it). As i said it worked on my ford it might work for your problem and its very inexpensive.

 

You might consider using a thicker conventional oil to mask the problem.

 

This is an interesting post for me because I'm trying to trace some sort of leak/s around this area too. I might have a power steering fluid leak as well which is also around this area albeit lower down. Only yesterday I checked my oil level and it was just at the 'low' mark. I've cleaned the area around the engine stamp to see if there is a weep where you mention. I'll stick a quart of oil in and observe. I've had the car for 2 1/5 years and there has been oil/fluid leaking from somewhere around here for as long as I've owned the car. However, I'm lucky if I do 1000-2000 miles a year so topping of oil is the easy option for me for now.
Edit: do you see oil ooze from here when the engine is running or not?

 

Much like the british motorcycles which i have owned (triumph has a controlled leak and the nortons a metered leak)

 

IF it is oozing as you say from that "front section" of the head gasket it sounds like the bolts on the studs that go through the cylinder head and secure the front lip of the timing cover MAY be loose.

That particular section is very oil wet on the inside, as the tensioner is an oil pressure unit that bleeds oil out of the piston to luibe the timing chain just inside that area, and being on the "underside" as such this is the result. It is NOT oil under "pressure", just splash oil finding its way out.

I would get some carby cleaner solvent and spray that area numerous times, paying attention to the joint area, and wait until any seeping STOPS, and the solvent dries, smear some Hi-Temp RTV along that joint, using your finger as a spatular to "force" the RTV into the joint as best you can, leave it overnight to dry properly, and it should work, and being flexible will "move" with the 2 parts involved. The removal of ANY and ALL oil outside and inside that joint is paramount to success. Time here in preperation is going to be your proof of success. You can get an RTV that is grey in colour from any good auto mob, and would be barely noticeable when applied.

 

Thanks for the input Grant.
I had a look at my car yesterday and my leak appears to be below the exhaust port of cylinder 1 and above the engine number stamp. Will this Hi temp RTV work here Grant? The ooze appears with engine running.

 

WEEPS SHORTLY AFTER I CLEAN IT OFF, when the engine runs. The weep is rear of the timing cover intersection. It's the head gasket; the HP oil port seal is apparently shot. I've decided to get rid of the car-

 

I made a post elsewhere about this. The problem is common-ish. Don't worry about it. Someone elso has done 60000 miles with this. My car looks like it's done 60000 miles with it judging by how fresh and clean everything is below the said leak. If you are worried, check your water level isn't going down and chack cylinder compression pressures.
Shame to get rid of the car if you don't need to spend $1600 on it.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

That was a new button to press and get a quote insertion, mmmmm. The things you discover in older age.

IF, and I mean IF that ooze is not pressure related, just "ooze" then the RTV might work. The issue is going to be getting ALL that oil residue out of the joint so the RTV will actually STICK. It will not adhere to an oily surface, neither will any suitable sealer (JB Weld etc).

The only way is to try it I suppose. My 3.2 weeped from the timing cover joint "under" the top tensioner, after I did the chains etc, and spraying carby cleaner in there over a 30 minute period, until "oozing" ceased, and wiping RTV into the area/joint has been successful, BUT, that is NOT a pressure leak area, just splash off from the chain inside, so very different I think to your leak??.

 

Interesting, i havean oile weep too, but i have 1995 xj6 with 4.0 eng str 6, but mine is at back of what i call the cam cover, will this gasket be hard to change, looks to me i will have to take pugs out, carefull set the ingnition coils aside and remove the 8 or so cap screws am i close??? I forgot to mention, i have tighten these a couple of times over the yrs i can only assume that with age the gasket might be losign some of its elasticity
Genoaz

 

Yep, pretty much on the money.

Spark plugs can stay IN. Coils out, loom tucked up under the wiper arm, breather hose CAREFULLY pushed off the spout, numerous camcover bolts removed (forgot how many, too cold to go look, or too old and lazy?), lift it off.

CLEAN all the surfaces with solvent, paying particular attention to the groove in the cover. I smear some Hi-Temp RTV in the area of the cylinder head that the half moon seals sit into, just to be sure, and on the face of the 6 spark plug tube seals.

Lay the new seal inside the groove, fit the 6 new spark plug tube seals, and refit the cover. tighten in sequence from the centre out, and DO NOT get silly with tightening those "stepped" bolts, just firm, coz they BREAK if you go at it too hard, and it matters not how tight you try and do them they WILL NOT apply any more pressure to the seal, it is mechanically impossible.

Those gaskets and seals do shrink with heat and age, so replacement every 10 years or so is not a silly idea.