Oil leak
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 16
Likes: 7
GL320
Oil leak
I’ve been chasing an oil leak on the front of my engine. I can’t seem to figure it out. Oil drips On the serpentine belt and then oil gets everywhere. I’ve cleaned it a few times to try and chase it. I replaced my oil filter housing gaskets thinking that might be it because that’s a classic leak. I also replaced the gasket between the high pressure air intake tube (coming out of the turbo) and the intake manifold muffler because I saw a drip of oil on the belt right about at that point. The interesting thing was the o ring replacement was a little smaller in diameter and thinner in circumference than the one in there (the o ring came in the manifold gasket set I bought when I replaced the oil cooler gaskets and installed a new swirl flap motor. I ordered another o ring, but it’s the same size. My air intake plenum is cracked (new one ordered) at the turbo, but I have new gaskets there and on the tube the the PCV. I don’t think that’s the issue though because there isn’t any oil traveling along the bottom of the intake tube. Also the top of the engine is clean. Kind of throwing my hands up here, but I’m worried the excess oil will degrade the serpentine belt over time and it’ll break (which I’ve dealt with before due to a bad pulley).
Any help is much appreciated. I’m trying to keep this thing going and clean. Thanks!
Any help is much appreciated. I’m trying to keep this thing going and clean. Thanks!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 1,932
Likes: 291
From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
Yeah, once it drips onto something that is spinning, that makes a real mess of things are makes it harder to pinpoint the starting point. My guess, though, is that you might not be monitoring close enough (soon enough) and by the time you get to it, it's a big mess. It's really hard to give any direct advice here given we're not there to see it. But I think your best course of action to clean it up really well... first a degreaser and water, then a few cans of non-chlorinated brakleen. Check under/over/left/right/etc. Then monitor often.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 16
Likes: 7
GL320
Thanks Dennis. I’ve cleaned it multiple times and then look every day. The only thing I saw was a drip on the belt directly below where the intake tube and the intake manifold muffler join. That’s why I replaced the o ring. I’m now thinking the o ring may not be the correct one.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 1,932
Likes: 291
From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
I'm not physically looking at mine right now, but will this work (I know the joint is a little clunky)... Wrap the joint with a strip of paper towel and then wrap a piece of aluminum duct tape over it. Remove after a day or so. The duct tape will protect the towel from external contamination. If the towel is soaked with oil, bingo. If not, look elsewhere.
