Have oil coming out from inspection rubber on bellhousing (2002 4.4 V8 ) Was the occasional drip but is now losing level due to increase in leak, dripping every time I stop even if for a short period, have topped up with about a litre of oil.

Looking for most likely causes eg torque convertor and probable cost going by anyone on here's previous experience.

Would appreciate any info and also recommendations for repair in Scottish Highlands. If you like it, who cares what other people think

If you’re sure that it’s transmission fluid leaking out then the input seal would be the obvious culprit.

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Thanks Phill

Was expecting to have to remove box anyway.

Cheers

Chris If you like it, who cares what other people think

Question for RR Phil
Still got leaky box but hope to have it repaired soon. Have decided against doing job myself and initially went to Inverness 4x4 (landrover specialists?) they had a look, think they used a boroscope, and reckon it may be the torque converter, then decided they didn't fancy taking on the job, this all after me taking a ferry journey and 50 mile by road to take the car to them.

Anyway, have been in touch with Mann Automotive in Laurencekirk, who are even further away from me, but I will be out that way anyway. These guys know what they are doing and I have used them in past. Have asked them to change seal and torque converter. They say safest option would be a full rebuild to be on safe side, but will happily change Tc as long as I supply replacement.

RR Phil - do you know if all TC's on the BMW engined 4.4 v8's are all the same or will I have to find out anything specific to my car that will tell me the required torque converter. I spoke to jpat who think they can get it via chassis number, the guy at Sussex autos thinks I may need to remove TC first as there are many variants. Who's right? I'm concerned as I need to have the TC available before work starts due to time constraints. If you like it, who cares what other people think

Tell them it’s the ‘F38’ torque converter. The same one was used in the 4.4 V8 BMW E53 (X5) with the M62 engine. Anything else won’t fit. For example, the 4.6is X5 with the 5HP24 uses the larger L51 unit.

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Thanks again RR Phil, you're knowledge on here is much appreciated  If you like it, who cares what other people think

The saga continues.
Put car to Mann Automotive (Laurencekirk ) who removed box in order to change leaky torque converter and suspect oil pump seal.
All bone dry in there, no problem with TC or seal! poor diagnosis by Inverness 4x4
Had also supplied them with oil cooler and pipes from British Parts. Oil cooler wouldn't fit due to being poorly manufactured!

Anyway £580 down on labour, mechanic says oil leak is from engine (said he was suspicious before he started) and couldn't fix before I had to take car away. Reckons it is leaking from somewhere in the v of the engine possible nreather pipe, but needed more time to investigate and reckoned I would need to remove intake manifold to see exact location and to carry out repair.
Unfortunately I needed car and had to leave (250 mile drive and ferry home)

Looking for possible ideas as to where the leak may be coming from?
Any suggestions welcome.

Gearbox out, guess oil was getting into bel housing through small cut out at top

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Hi mate,
Im not sure whether this is a possibility, but I've been reading (and watching youtube) about the PCv valve and pipe work at the rear of the engine and can in time cause a lot of oil to be pumped out of the engine. But im thinking he would have known this issue before. Also it would pump engine oil and not tranny oil.

Jake 2003 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 on Gas
1961 88" 2.25 diesel - George
Gone - 1997 3.9 V8i Discovery - Burt

Thanks Jake

I have seen the PCV changeout video on YouTube and read a little about it. The oil leak is definitely in that area.
Would failure/damage to the PCV or to the pipe work connected cause an oil leak sufficient to leave a large drip every time I stop somewhere (even for 10-15 minutes). My understanding is that failure would cause the oil to come out somewhere else due to pressure.

What the original mechanic (and also me much to my embarrassment) failed to notice, was that it was engine oil and not transmission oil that was leaking. Although in defence I don't think it is easy to tell the difference just by looking as they are of similar colour.  If you like it, who cares what other people think

jakebullet64 wrote:

Hi mate,
Im not sure whether this is a possibility, but I've been reading (and watching youtube) about the PCv valve and pipe work at the rear of the engine and can in time cause a lot of oil to be pumped out of the engine. But im thinking he would have known this issue before. Also it would pump engine oil and not tranny oil.

Jake

Lrdaft, I'm assuming you are Barry from Mann Automotive. Can't fault your work in anyway mate. As said in previous post fault was diagnosed by Inverness 4x4, who didn't want to take on job. Incidentally, I'm gonna get another oil cooler. Does the oil need to be drained or can the job be done while keeping most of oil in gearbox.

Jake, Mann automotive as said, were only carrying out work requested by me, with parts supplied by me. My preference was to leave with them to carry out work but due to having to return home to attend to other business this was not possible.

Think I will go ahead and change out PCV and pipework to see if that helps. If you like it, who cares what other people think

I had exactly the same have you thoroughly checked both of your camshaft cover gaskets, sometimes referred to as rocker cover gaskets?
I replaced both of mine and leak stopped completely,it appears as if it is coming from inside the box via the rubber plug, but actually entering from the top

Getting a shot of a boroscope later today, impossible to see at present with vent panel removed.

Had a root around PCV and all seems dry in that area as far as I could see with inspection mirror and can't feel any oil in that area. Looks like leak is further in, possibly rocker cover gasket as suggested, in which case I'll also be changing PCV in case this is causing increase in pressure causing oil leak. If you like it, who cares what other people think

if you are leaking engine oil from rocker gaskets (at top), into the gap between the heads, (around the water valley cover....the path out, is through the gearbox bellhousing. look at this youtube... If you go to around the 3 minute mark, here.. you will see the inlet manifold off, and there is a hole to drain the area through said bellhousing. that's water or engine oil. it will drip out bottom of gearbox. easily hiding/masking it as a gearbox leak. that's if its not if the said hole is blocked with dirt/grease.

Stoich
i would put money on it being the oil seperator. I changed the valey pan on mine a few years back (in the wiki if you fancy doing ut uourself) when doing the job the bottom 2 hoses on the cyclone had perished so much they might as well have not been there. Had losds of oil over the valey. Thats where i would start looking. [img]http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rob2529/range-rover[img/]
04, 4.4V8, Vogue Oslo Blue with LPG.
"You can sleep in your car, BUT you can't race your house!!!!"

If something can't be fixed with a hammer....... You have yourself an electrical fault!