oil leak on lower right side of engine.

[ninsei]

Hi. On my 2000 C2, I've got a slight oild leak. At first I though it was the spark plug tubes/orings. I guess it could still be but I don't think so as they look clean. I see oil at the bottom, back, right side (pass side in U.S.) of the engine. but it seems to *start* at the bottom (I think). in this pic:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rollingglue/tm...983030205087810

it ends up at that gold plug at the bottom of the engine (what is that anyway). It's clean now so you can't see any oil. But it looks like it's either leaking from that gold seal, or the black gasket just to the left of the gold seal, or (not shown in the pic) this round metal cam coverm right above and to the right of the gold seal. There's a lot of reverse torx screws holding things together in our engines. Perhaps I should check the torque on them (I would have to find out what that is first).

[Dharn55]

The gold seal is an expansion plug. If you can get the right size it si not difficult to replace, but Porsche won't sell you one. It looks like one located at the bottom of the cam cover. This is not a "pressurized oil" area, and is probably not the source of the leak. It could be the cam cover itself, they don't use a gasket, just silicone gasket material. Not unusual to get some leaking from them. I will look at my car tomorrow when it is light out to see what else it could be, but mine is a 3.4. so it is a little different than a 3.6.

[ninsei]

The gold seal is an expansion plug. If you can get the right size it si not difficult to replace, but Porsche won't sell you one. It looks like one located at the bottom of the cam cover. This is not a "pressurized oil" area, and is probably not the source of the leak. It could be the cam cover itself, they don't use a gasket, just silicone gasket material. Not unusual to get some leaking from them. I will look at my car tomorrow when it is light out to see what else it could be, but mine is a 3.4. so it is a little different than a 3.6.

thanks any help is appreciated. Mine is a 3.4 also.

[ninsei]

It's not leaking from that gold plug in the pic. It's leaking from the round, camshaft cover (held on by 4 torx screws), above the gold plug, not shown in that pic. looking at that round metal cover (attached to the cylinder head cover), i don't see why it *wouldn't* leak ;-) Is this a typical prob?

[ninsei]

From the manual, this is (somehow) called an oil extraction pump (looks like a simple cover to me):

"Fit oil extraction pump. Use new sealing ring and new

micro-encapsulated hexagon socket head screws.

Tightening torque 10 Nm (7.5 ftlb.)"

What does micro-encapsulated mean? Can I just unscrew these four screws, remove the cover, replace it with a new seal and new screws?

[RFM]

It's not a cover, it's a complete scavenge pump. Micro encapsulated means treated with sealing and/or locking agent.

[ninsei]

It's not a cover, it's a complete scavenge pump. Micro encapsulated means treated with sealing and/or locking agent.

Thanks. Well lucky for me it's leaking on cyl 4-6 (right side, U.S.) where the manual says remove four screws, pull out oil extractor. Whereas, for the right side, one must first remove the exhaust, cyl head cover (which requires a special tool)..... I guess I'll just remove it and replace the seal.