Cause and Effect...Dipstick 'O' ring

[gmotS40T4]

Hi All,

Not sure if this is a common problem but I have just been subjected to a rather costly effect from a very small cause...

...I'll start from the beginning!

My '99 S40 T4 started mis-firing all over the place and really was not happy. After replacing the Spark Plugs, HT Leads and both coil packs, cleaning the MAF, ICV and Throttle Body everything is now perfect again. Now for the cause...a perished 'O' ring on my dipstick!

Turns out the dipstick (sans functioning 'O' ring!) had been allowing oil to spew all over the engine bay. Said oil made it in under the top plastic cover on the engine and worked its way down in to the spark plugs and coil packs...thereby killing eveything in there!

The moral of the story is to pay attention to the details...10p for an 'O' ring is a lot cheaper than £200 on the parts that it breaks!

Not much use to most people but a warning to those who put off seemingly minor things!

Much Love,

Gareth

[steveo82]

hi there, i know mine is a T5 but is the dipstick location similar on the 4-pot motor as my car does exactly what yours had done, ie oil in the little recesses in the cam cover, then number 2 plug hole was full, and the subseqeunt misfire issue!!

so did yours have oil everywhere under the bonnet? as mine is quite localised on the rocker cover, like i say little pools all over the top??
coz if its the same fault i'll be well chuffed to get it sorted out!!

mine does not have a big mess under the bonnet though!!

cheers
steve k

[gmotS40T4]

Hi Steve,

There oil was spattered on the underside of the bonnet, where it had subsequently gone down on to the top of the engine, under the cover and in to the spark plug/coil pack recesses (and pools in the nooks and crannies around cylinders 2 & 3). There was also oil on the back of the head which I initially thought was the gasket, but was actually from the dipstick. There was oil on the exterior of the dipstick tube and a small spattering on the injector rail cover.

Hope this helps.

Gareth

[steveo82]

cheers gareth, i will have a good look aroung those areas and see if its looking like the culprit! from what you have told me it may not be but you never know with these things

i'll clean up whats left and go from there!!

cheers mate and glad you found the cause in the end

steve

[gmotS40T4]

No worries mate, hope you get to the bottom of it!

Gareth

[frostytel]

hi there, i know mine is a T5 but is the dipstick location similar on the 4-pot motor as my car does exactly what yours had done, ie oil in the little recesses in the cam cover, then number 2 plug hole was full, and the subseqeunt misfire issue!!

so did yours have oil everywhere under the bonnet? as mine is quite localised on the rocker cover, like i say little pools all over the top??
coz if its the same fault i'll be well chuffed to get it sorted out!!

mine does not have a big mess under the bonnet though!!

cheers
steve k

I too seem to have oil coming out the dipstick tube of my T5 850 .... new to these cars does that need a new seal on it or is it being caused by something else ... dipstick is not what I would call tight either rubber bung thingy seems quite hard .... also when changing plugs/leads etc i found some oil under plug cover !!!! new seal for oil filler cap ????

Tel