Boxster engine oil leak

[kamran66]

Hi Folks, I need help diagnosing my 2000 Boxster's oil leak, I started smelling burning oil from the RH side intake about a month ago, I took look underneath and notice the exhaust manifold behind the RH tire towards the muffler has some oil residue. I looked to see where it was coming from but it looks high up on the side of the engine. I'm trying to find out if it's the cam cover or the spark plug tubes, (I hope it's not the dreaded RMS) the plugs had oil around them too but the source looks to be higher than the plugs. Please take a look at the picture and tell me what you think...thanks in advance!

Edited November 24, 2009 by Loren
Converted image

[zodman]

Pedro has good DIY instrux...I agree with phillipj, its a good site to bookmark.

Edited November 25, 2009 by zodman

[phillipj]

Most likely it's your spark plug tubes. Your RMS wouldn't leak there..

You may have a leak in your cam covers as well. On my 996 I had the same problem. I replaced the tubes and took the cam cover bolts out (one at a time) and re -sealed them with the Porsche sealant. You can't take off the cam cover without the special Porsche tool to hold in the cams. A lot of the time just re-sealing the bolts (one at time) will solve the problem.

If you can get under the car (safely) clean all the oil off and then drive it again and look again for leaks. A lot easier to see the source of the leak on a clean surface.

Not a big deal. Here is an excellent DIY if you want to do the tubes yourself. Make sure you do both sides :rolleyes:

Bookmark this site.

http://www.pedrosgarage.com/Site_3/Change_..._%26_Tubes.html

Good luck

Edited November 24, 2009 by phillipj

[rprieto]

Agree with phillipj, it is most likely the spark plug tubes.

Recent Sunset pricing is: $4.70 per tube plus 2 o-rings (1@ $2.40 and 1@ $1.21).

Might want to R&R the spark plugs while your are there if you are due.

R.

[Kojiro]

It could also be the AOS, my AOS was in all sorts of bad shape, and oil leaked down on that side (and in precisely that area) and got all over the "Vario Cam F1" logo and everywhere in between (although it was never enough for me to notice until I looked inside to see it all over the place.

[kamran66]

Thank you all for the inputs, really appreciated it...I went ahead and bought the tubes and O rings today. I will open and inspect this weekend and report back. Btw, thanks Loren for converting the file.

[topmech0]

Thank you all for the inputs, really appreciated it...I went ahead and bought the tubes and O rings today. I will open and inspect this weekend and report back. Btw, thanks Loren for converting the file.

i also agree that in that area its more likely to be the AOS or at least the bellows tube that sits directly on the bottom of the unit

[suburban99]

Thank you all for the inputs, really appreciated it...I went ahead and bought the tubes and O rings today. I will open and inspect this weekend and report back. Btw, thanks Loren for converting the file.

i also agree that in that area its more likely to be the AOS or at least the bellows tube that sits directly on the bottom of the unit

Could also be the o ring for the right bank oil pump...mine was leaking there when I bought it.

[kbrandsma]

Check the bellows on the AOS just inside the right (passenger) rear tire.

It could also be the AOS, my AOS was in all sorts of bad shape, and oil leaked down on that side (and in precisely that area) and got all over the "Vario Cam F1" logo and everywhere in between (although it was never enough for me to notice until I looked inside to see it all over the place.

[kamran66]

Again thank you al for the info..it turned out the spaek plug tubes were leaking on the RH cylinder bank. I replaced them. The job without the improvised puller(Marine drain plug) would have been near impossible. Actually the first puller was made in china (brass one in the picture) and the rubber was too soft so it did not grip the tube, I bought another one with a harder rubber stem (black one in the picture) and I used it to remove the tube on the front of the engine that had tightest access. I took a couple of pics of the oil leak and the parts...again thanks all around.

PS: THE AOS bellow was exactly above where the leak was...so Kudos to those who said that might also be the culprit....but I failed to mention that I replaced the AOS about 2 years ago.

Edited November 28, 2009 by kamran66