Transmission oil leak...

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1

That’s what I suspect it to be… a transmission oil leak. Car is back at the dealer’s… What happened? Ran the car VERY hard for about three consecutive hours. Then one sharp right - and booooof - white clouds in the engine bay and of course outside of the car’s rear. Just like a motor failure. WITHOUT a motor failure. Engine doing fine. Coolant temperature at about 88 degrees. No loss of performance. I pulled to the side. Car running smoothly like nothing has happened. But oil drips - 20 to 30 mililiters a minute out of the chassis. Some must have dripped onto the red hot exhaust to cause that smokey fireworks. Anyway - I opted for safety and drove slowly and carefully to the dealer.I’ve read before about transmission oil leaks with the Exige and “cooking” transmission oil. I HOPE that that is the fact with my car - but before tuesday I won’t be sure. Anyone experienced the same?Marcus

2

Hi PawsDoes your car have a catch tank fitted? If you ragged the car for three hours the crank case pressure might have got so high the rocker cover gasket went. I guess this is the gasket because it�s the only one above the manifold, and would spray oil nicely on the manifold creating a James Bond style smoke screen. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]If you did blow an engine gasket, and you are in the habit of ragging your car for long periods I would suggest you invest in the oil catch tank kit, which will prevent it happening in the future. Not sure if the TUV would approve [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image], since this means your engine will no longer breath its own nasty oil vapour, but you will just let it vent to the atmosphere (very non German [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]). Still it�s the price you pay for no speed limit�Viel Glueck, Sportsfreund!Chris.

3

bloody hell, how cume that you speak German???

4

Wir sind nicht alles ferucht! Some of us are talented too. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

5

Er ist nicht der Einzige. Es gibt noch ein paar andere die Deine Muttersprache beherrschen. Ich zum Beispiel, habe einige Jahre das Gymnasium in Berlin besucht (ist aber schon lange her).

6

I Can’t speek German!Its just H15EXG’s co-pilot is German [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/cool.gif[/image]Chris...PS Sorry, David, dass wir angefangen haben, die Sprache zu aendern, kommt nicht wieder vor! Naja, vielleicht wenn es wieder um Klimaanlagen geht… so, das reicht jetzt aber!!! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image][This message has been edited by H15EXG (edited 16 April 2001).]

7

I’m stunned… honestly…just one thing:German is not my mother tongue. it’s a foreign language for me as well 'cause my mother tongue is Swiss-German which is completely different. We only learn German at school but there you go…after all, you seemed not to be these islanders as I thought you were…he-he…

8

Don’t know if it’s anything to do with it, but I checked the oil level in my gearbox the other day and it was way too full, and must have been like that from the factory. I removed the excess, but I don’t know if a similar over exuberant filling could have caused your problem.

9

Not sure how transmition oil could get onto the manifold, the exhaust is not normally hot enough to create the white smoke, but then again he did ‘rag it’ for three hours. I still bet he has popped an engine gasket (rocker I suspect) due to crank case pressure. Hope Paws keeps us informed (in english please [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] )

10

sure I will keep you informed… my car is being checked at the moment. No news yet. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] Was zur Hoelle ist “ferucht”, Keenan? Man � I think it would be fun to meet one day. Unfortunately I will not manage to get to LeMans… But I’m still cancelling appointments [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]

11

Vermutlich meint er ‘verr�ckt’.

12

We are hoping to do a little tour of Germany this summer. Since we have relations in your area we will let you know [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] Hope the car is OKChris…

13

Driveshaft AND/OR gearbox are leaking… Let’s see what and why… more infos later.

14

Catch tank won’t help with transmition oil problems ( sorry [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] mate, but you will have to take a rest every now and then! )Chris…

15

quote:Originally posted by Ken Pegg:Vermutlich meint er ‘verr�ckt’.Yeh, spelling in English is bad enough “Crazy Mad Stupid” verr�cktWell done Ken ps I can only speak it and to write it is a bit of an effort to say the least

16

I’ve had the same thing with my Sport 160. It does appear to be the gearbox overfull with oil. Happens to me when I’ve been travelling the Autobahns at about 230kmh for any extended period. Suddenly, smoke starts pouring out of the engine lid and into the cockpit. Scarey bloody thing. Anyway, pull over and nothing appears to be wrong (apart from the smoke that is. What appears to be happening is there is a black (plastic?) standpipe (poss. pressure release valve) on top of the gearbox which seems to let go and let off pressure and hence oil. It then seems to drip down to the exhaust tailbox which by now is pretty hot and presto BAR smoke screen.

17

It was definitely an untight/damaged o-ring or stuff (german: “Dichtung”) between gearbox and driveshaft. It caused a major oil leak and it WAS transmission oil dripping on the exhaust which caused the BAR style smoke screen. Mine now is the THIRD german Exige I know of with that nasty fault. One of the three badly burnt it’s rear clamshell at the Nuerburgring. I’m thinking again about the fire extinguisher. No joke.

18

marcus, long time no hear… erm… I have read about this in the German elise board as well… erm. david would argue about the weight penalty for a fire extinguisher…he-he…

19

Dichtung = gasket …for what it’s worth