Hi all,
Has anyone had an oil leak from the plastic plug that is inserted in the left-hand side of the front timing chain cover plate (looking at the engine from the front.
I assume when new it was soft and pliable but now it is very hard and leaks.
Has anyone had any experience at replacing it?
Photo attached. (I broke a piece off trying to get it out),
Graham

 

Yes, Graham, all of us!
This is an access hole for releasing the timong chain tnesioner (DO NOT be tempted to do that!!). Very nice aluminium ones are sold by a guy in Lithuania on ebay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324493991...Bk9SR7TShpbMZQ

Welll worth it. To get th old plastic one out, drill a hole in the centre and insert a secrewdriver and lever it out.

 

Thank you very much Greg.
Do you know if they are prone to leak oil?
Do you know why someone went to all the trouble to make an aluminum one? Is it because you can't get replacement plastic ones?
Thanks again.
Graham.

 

Yes they leak, often.

The rubber OE was good, got the car out of the warranty period, oops.

I use the OE, and a liberal coating of Hi Temp RTV, never had issues, 30 years now.

The HEAT from the fan etc cooks the OE one, and the RTV helps a lot (MY opinion), but all mine run Efans, so maybe that helps.

When you dig that old thing out, bits will fall inside, DO NOT panic, they will fall into the sump and come out with the next oil change, or the one after that.

 

Thanks Greg and Grant for your help. Greatly appreciated.

 

Graham
The ally bung is a permanent fix, I have had mine for 15 years and all oiltight. The OEM plastic bung lasts, as Grant mentioned, 5 years if you are lucky. You can get them, but then the leaks start again. Ally = fix and forget.

 

Hi Greg,
I have ordered the Aluminum one that you gave me the link to.
Thank you.
Cheers
Graham

 

Tried finding him on American Ebay and I can't. Can these parts be bought for us here in the US somehow?

 

Hello Mark.
It is there on that link. Just keep scrolling down. Otherwise just do a search - " Aluminum chain tensioner plug".
Cheers
Graham

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32449399133...3Avlp_homepage

 

Thanks Graham!

Thanks much! Wonder why it didn't pull up for me when I searched. Ohh well have it now! TYVM

 

Don't worry, eBay search is remarkably bad.

 

I'm adding to this thread as I have similar oil leaks to the photos in post 15. I have a leak that is pooling on top of the oil filter and running down, and I know it's not the filter. I also have oil running down the lower rad hose on the left side of the engine and dripping on the roll bar.

Any ideas where to start looking? It's tough to get even my fibre optic camera in to see above the oil filter, but I can see that the top of oil filter adapter is dry, but the bottom is wet.

What's above the lower rad hose that would leak oil? The timing chain access plug is on the other side.

This is a 1994 6.0 engine.

 

Yep

Oil filter leak is 99% the D Seal in the Camcover to head area.

LHF, more than likely the alloy breather housing gasket AND/OR the 2 bolts that attach it to the head. They are NOT blind holes, so the oil seeps thru the threads and annoys you.
New gasket with RTV dressing, copper washer on each bolt, and a smear of RYV on the threads. Ditch that filter capsule while in there.
The Pigs Sout to alloy housing, more of an oily mist than and actual leak, RTV smeared before refitting it does the trick.

 

The bellhousing is totally wet too, Ugh. I don't want to be pulling the intakes and fuel rail to get the cam covers off.

 

Unlucky ... because that's the only way to get at them - the same fella in Lithuania that does the timing cover bung also does really nice half moon aluminium items to replace the rubber half moons. Good opportunity to clean the sludge out of the cam boxes.

 

Oh I know I have to do it, I just don't want to!

Actually, this is a bit embarrassing. I could have sworn the oil filter was tight, but the car was on the hoist and I thought I'd give the filter a double check. Easy to do, right? And it moved a 1/4 turn. That might cause a leak.

 

It is all to easy to use the phrase 'I know it is not that' only to be humbled after 10 hours work doing every other complicated thing ...

 

Ya gotta luv the V12, sooooo simple, and sooo annoying all rolled into one package.

BUT

You MUST remember the oil leaks were a part of Jaguars Master Plan.

They were part of the Under Body Rust Prevention Program.
Going back to the 50's.

We, rather fussy owners, and then the Politician Wombats, decoded that was NOT cool.

Fix the oil leaks, the car will rust out, just wait and see.

GOOD find on the oil filter. The bellhousing being wet is NOT the D Seals, so rest a tad better, for now.