[MLB]

So, I finally completed the R&R of the oil pan gasket as well as numerous others along the way to just getting access to the oil pan. Hoo boy, that was a lot of work! But now the bottom of the engine and surrounding area is clean too.



(D1R lower brace now installed and getting custom alignment today!)



But one oil leak remains, and seems likely to be from upper balance shaft, as suggested by oil wicking along my new oil pan gasket on the driver side. (Pretty confident the OPG is not leaking). But this area is difficult to access, and my PM says removal of intake manifold is necessary. But he also said that's not too difficult if I wanted to tackle it myself.

Comments, similar findings?

Thanks

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[mbardeen]

Glad to see you got your oil pan sorted out. If it's the back of the upper balance shaft, I highly suggest the "RTV" method of fixing it -- gob some RTV on the back and that will sort it out. However, there is the possibility that the oil-air separator is leaking -- it was on mine (the bottom connection). Both of these jobs do indeed need to have the manifold off. Make sure you pick up a new manifold gasket before the job and don't gob RTV there (like the previous mechanic who worked on my car).

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[MLB]

Hi Matthew,

yeah I have a tube of the $100 730 RTV, great stuff!

That's what is currently on my lower balance shaft seal, and its holding just fine.

I really enjoyed tearing into the car and all the things I got done, plus some serious cleaning: Went through a case of 3M brake cleaner spray cans for final cleaning, after scrubbing parts with mineral spirits and wire brushes. Filthy, but nobody wants to see that. But heres what my garage looked like for 6 weeks

   



Here's a shiny after view:

   

   

(New koni inserts on front, plus new motor mounts, plus D1R lower suspension brace; and a 4wheel alignment just got done today! This baby just floats down the highway now, Amazing difference! Cant wait for next autocross. Oh, and I can now finally install D1R strut tower brace)



Back to oil leak; so would you say its an easy job to R&R the intake manifold? Does it require draining the coolant?

After all that work cleaning the engine and replacing the OPG, it would be a shame to let it get all dirty again by not plugging one remaining oil leak. But my car never went through oil like some here have posted. Maybe I put a half quart in after the 5k miles I put on the car last year. So was never leaking a large quantity after initial round of repairs immediately after I got the car.

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[mbardeen]

Nope, no coolant draining necessary. You have to remove the oil dipstick & tube, fuel rail, and all the associated intake bits. Make sure you cover the <acronym title='mass air flow'>MAF</acronym> and treat it gently -- $500 right there. The manifold itself is a bit tricky to get out, but if you give it just the right twist it will come out from under the brake master cylinder. Make sure you label your vacuum connections as you're taking everything off -- trying to piece it back together after the fact is a bit of a nightmare (thanks goes out once again to the former mechanics that worked on my car for the pleasure of that experience).



It's not a quick job, by any means, but it's a heck of a lot better than the oil pan gasket!



P.S. The underside looks good! It's nice knowing that everything's all clean under there, isn't it? Shame it doesn't last. A year on and mine's due to be cleaned again.

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[MLB]

One slightly alarming thing I found was a broken-off tip of a gear, down in the bottom of the oil pan.

Maybe a bit off topic, but could this be from anything other than a cam sprocket? I read posts here I think where others have found more than one missing when they inspected the cam and sprockets for chain and pad replacement.



Weird thing is, the gear tooth is black.



   



Anyway, I'll post more about that in another thread once I open the top cover. Need to replace the gasket and spark plug O-rings.

(I already have the chain and pads, but I don't think I should attempt to re-time the cams myself.)

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[mbardeen]

That does look like a bit of a cam sprocket tooth. I don't think there's anything else in the engine that has that profile, so yes, I'd say inspecting your cams is definitely in order. Better do it now, rather than risking bent valves or worse.

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[MB968]

Kinda hard to tell from the pic, but I don't see any shiny surface from the cam chain rolling on it. That might imply that it's been in the pan for a while. I agree with mbardeen, best pull the cover SOON and just see hat it looks like inside. Depending on what you see, you'll be able to decide if you should not run it without the fix, or if it is only the one tooth, you may have a little more time (but not much) before fixing.

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