Two years and about 16,000 miles ago I had a rebuilt head installed on my 90 XJ40. Now it looks like my right rear is leaking oil at the head.

The other possibility is the rear plate on the head. Apparently it is a one piece plate with a split gasket arrangement. Oil behind one part and coolant behind another. I tightened up the top 4 bolts but due to the placement of the EGR piping, I can't even touch the bottom two bolts.

From underneath it looks like it is leaking at the head but because it is a slant (tow the right) if it were leaking out of the rear plate, it would roll down the slant.

If it is the head I am guessing that there is no re-torque like on the BMW forums. I would need to loosen and re-torque and that would be a messy thing.

I wonder if the mechanic took the bolts to torque and then plus 90 degrees and did he do it in the correct order? I hate when I don't do my own work!

The leak isn't that much but it does roll onto the hot exhaust pipe and smells.

1990 XJ40

 

I'll be the first to admit I'm not familiar with this engine yet, however Murphys law certainly would point to the leak around the bolts you can't reach...