Replaced oil filter housing gaskets, still have leaks

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Apr 24, 2021 | 08:46 PM
  #1  
I replaced the oil filter housing gasket plus the two oil cooler plate gaskets. I also threw in a new pressure port gasket. However I am still getting some oil leaks in the front left of the engine bay. I see oil collecting at the left bottom radiator support, all along the anti-roll bar and there may be some oil getting flung by the serpentine belt/pulleys. I don't honestly see major leaks from the valve cover gaskets. Anything I should really focus on here? Is there some hose that runs up in the front left engine bay near the radiator that I should be looking at? I see no oil at all on the oil pan directly under the front main seal.

I will say both of my drain plugs are leaking but I don't think oil could go forward. And I will be replacing those washers on the next oil change. There is plenty on the oil pan cover but I THINK the front leak is something else. Not sure. I thought for sure the gaskets I replaced would have at least cured the front left engine bay leak....

I can try to get pics if it helps.
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Apr 24, 2021 | 09:39 PM
  #2  
Buy some tracer dye to put into the oil and also buy a black light. You should be able to pinpoint a leak using these two items.
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Apr 25, 2021 | 12:54 PM
  #3  
Off the top of my head, oil leak culprits on the driver's side to consider are your valve cover gaskets, oil cap seal, oil filter housing gaskets and line seals, power steering reservoir seal, power steering cap, power steering high pressure hose crush gasket, and high pressure hose joint fitting leaks.

Let us know what you find. Good luck!
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Apr 27, 2021 | 03:02 PM
  #4  
Quote: I replaced the oil filter housing gasket plus the two oil cooler plate gaskets. I also threw in a new pressure port gasket. However I am still getting some oil leaks in the front left of the engine bay. I see oil collecting at the left bottom radiator support, all along the anti-roll bar and there may be some oil getting flung by the serpentine belt/pulleys. I don't honestly see major leaks from the valve cover gaskets. Anything I should really focus on here? Is there some hose that runs up in the front left engine bay near the radiator that I should be looking at? I see no oil at all on the oil pan directly under the front main seal.

I will say both of my drain plugs are leaking but I don't think oil could go forward. And I will be replacing those washers on the next oil change. There is plenty on the oil pan cover but I THINK the front leak is something else. Not sure. I thought for sure the gaskets I replaced would have at least cured the front left engine bay leak....

I can try to get pics if it helps.
I just did mines yesterday. The used housing that i bought had a small hairline crack. You should double check and see if gasket got misaligned and also to see if it has a crack anywhere.
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Apr 27, 2021 | 03:13 PM
  #5  
Thanks. I will check to see if I think oil is leaking from the bottom of the filter housing. Or wipe it clean and drive some and check again. Don't want to pull it apart again unless oil really seems to be coming from there. I was super careful about the housing gasket alignment...
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Apr 27, 2021 | 07:08 PM
  #6  
I don't know that it's leaking. But there was a youtube video I watched where the guy said his oil cooler lines leaked but only over a certain RPM. Maybe I need to have someone rev the engine and check that area, too.
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Apr 27, 2021 | 09:47 PM
  #7  
I still need to monitor mine for leaks as well.
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Apr 28, 2021 | 01:39 PM
  #8  
I was at Benz Elite Automotive getting my car lowered. My tech had his E55 on the lift, he also had an oil leak that we traced back to his oil filter housing.
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Apr 28, 2021 | 02:22 PM
  #9  
Well the good news for him is the job is very easy. He'll just have to pop for a $12 46mm socket on Amazon (or he already has one). Gaskets are under $50 for all 3. Hardest part of the job honestly is wrestling with that stupid 8 foot long serpentine belt. And I wonder if that was only necessary because I did the timing cover pressure test port gasket as part of the service.
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Apr 30, 2021 | 05:06 PM
  #10  
I just had my son rev it to 3k and then 4k (I think the limiter is just under) while I looked in the front left area of the engine bay. I saw NOTHING abnormal. No spraying oil from failed cooler lines, nothing dripping. It seems like the leak may be intermittent...I'll keep my eye on it I guess.
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May 9, 2021 | 06:34 PM
  #11  
Quote: I just had my son rev it to 3k and then 4k (I think the limiter is just under) while I looked in the front left area of the engine bay. I saw NOTHING abnormal. No spraying oil from failed cooler lines, nothing dripping. It seems like the leak may be intermittent...I'll keep my eye on it I guess.
Check your front main seal on a lift.
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May 10, 2021 | 08:29 AM
  #12  
I was under it again for an oil change. I saw what seemed to be drippage from the front pan drain plug which may have been what was wetting the anti-roll bar? Used a new washer and torqued to spec (on both). At the rear it's a bit worse. Seems like a combo of maybe an oil pan leak (or maybe a very rear drivers side valve cover leak, couldn't confirm) and rear main. There was a pool of oil in the rear cover. Nice. I think the rear drain plug was also dripping but I don't think it's the main cause of the rear leaks.
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May 10, 2021 | 06:22 PM
  #13  
I changed my oil from LiquiMoly 5W-40 to M1 Formula M 5W-40 (only including for extra info) and put about 100 miles on it, 75% highway. I contorted my hand and felt under the oil filter housing and it felt pretty dry to me. So maybe that's not still leaking.
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