Help! Oil warning light, Oil spray on left top of engine and "cheese" on oil cap.

N

NSH

Member
Hi there,

This is what happened:

1) Flew back from Europe and picked up my A2 from a friend's on 7th Jan after a 3 week holiday over Christmas (No signs of trouble before the holiday) and drove it home (2 1/2 hours). During the trip strange tapping sound when travelling at around 70mph - Nothing too loud. This stopped when driving slower (+-50mph).
2) Drove car around for a few weeks - mostly short trips (under 10miles) without an trouble
3) 3 Weeks in oil light flashed 3 times (with beeping) on when travelling around a particularly tight bend (I put it down to centrifugal force moving oil level below sensor temporarily) so took no action
4) 30th Jan: took a drive to friend's house (22 miles one way). After about 10miles engine started making tapping noise which stopped when I coasted in neutral. Found a services asap and bought and put in 250ml oil just before arriving at friend's house (it was dark but I'm pretty sure there was some yellow cheesy stuff in the oil filling receptacle). The car was then parked for a few hours.
5) Drove home without any trouble - no noise or oil lights / sounds.
6) Drove out this morning (about -5 Celcius!) : oil light flashed 3 times with beeping again but no tight corners to blame this time. Stopped immediately and topped up with another 250ml oil.
7) Drove on for about 5miles and oil light flashed 3 times with beeping again. Pulled over and topped up another 250ml oil.
8) Got to friends house and took the bonnet off to find oil had sprayed from the left side of the engine (near timing belt). There appears to be a broken pipe behind the engine. A little bit of water coming out of the exhaust pipe. There is no oil in the water.
9) Went to Halfords and bought large bottle of oil as dipstick indicated no oil at all (?!!!) Yellow cheesy stuff on the oil cap. A bit of "cheese" on the dipstick too.
10) Drove home with no further lights or sounds.
11) Over all these days the engine temperature gauge did not rise above normal (on or below the halfway mark)

Does anyone have a clue what the problem is? Has the oil pressure built up and burst the pipe spraying over the engine and then the oil has been pumped out at that break causing the oil level to be ridiculously low? Has my head gasket gone? Has the timing belt gone.

I would be most grateful for any guidance / ideas.

PS : Just read another post and discovered the oil light is the oil pressure warning (red oil can warning (accompanied by 3 beeps)) and I shouldn't have driven at all after that!

NSH
1.4 Petrol 51 Reg
 
Last edited:
Thanks ULP,

I'm going to take it in to a local mechanic tomorrow.

I hope it's not too bad!
 
I do hope you're not thinking of driving it while you have either low oil pressure or a major oil leak.

You could end up with a write-off if the engine seizes. With the current temperatures very low, the internal moving parts of your engine need a decent lubricant to stop the crankshaft throwing a bearing, and this could result in a con-rod launching itself through the block.

Even if you don’t suffer catastrophic bottom-end engine failure, a lack of oil to the camshaft or valve-train may result in a “head-off and top end rebuild” – which I would guess will cost you more than £500, even at a good independent.

Take great care.

Jeff
 
Thanks Jeff,

No, I certainly wasn't thinking of driving now that I know a little of what's going on. It's standing until I can get someone to come out and look at it.

Taking great care for sure!

Thanks for the warning!
 
Well, here's the latest:

Mechanic says the problem is simply a split in an oil pipe at the back of the engine (apparently it was repaired, before I owned the car, with insulation tape!).
When looking at the engine, the pipe comes up at the back of the engine and to the left (just to the right of the cam belt housing).

The trouble has been identifying and sourcing the part. The supplier concerned does not have any record of the existence of this part! Can anyone help?
 
Sorry,

Can't help with the 1.4 petrol engine lubrication system. If you can take any photo's that might help in identifying the required part.

I'm not sure where the oil-cooler pipe-work runs? Maybe some knowledgeable petrol owners might be able to assist??

Jeff
 
I think the crankcase breather hose comes from the back of the engine to the intake pipework on your engine model. The hose is connected to an oil separator box on the side of the cylinder block so I'd expect to see oil mist rather than lots of oil coming from a split hose if thats the problem. Also, un-metered air could enter the intake and cause the engine to run rough, particularly at low speed.
If this is a possibility, the breather hoses may be p/n 036 103 493AJ and 493AH but check it out before ordering parts as I may be wrong.

Cheers Spike
 
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