Help! Bad oil leak

[Gresley]

Please could anynone help with this? I drove my Stag to work this morning (17 miles) and all was normal. When I drove home tonight the car was billowing oil smoke . I thought it was from the exhaust but it appears to be a serious oil leak from the rear of the driver's side of the engine under what looks like the oil pressure switch. The car has left large spots of oil on the drive otutside. What could it be, and what could have happened so suddenly? I need to fix it quick as the car is my everyday car. Has anyone else had this? Any advice gratefully recieved!!

Brian (rather worried).

[brian0443]

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Most probably a burst oil pressure switch. Oil is pumped through the broken seal, runs onto the exhaust and the result is billowing clouds of oily smoke. Dramatic but not serious. Check your oil level.

Can be difficult to get at. Noted Stagdads tip of using a tap wrench a few weeks ago.

Another Brian

[tedlit]

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Not sure to be honest.. but I had a (quite horrific) oil leak on my Stag the first time it got hot after being run properly.. turns out about four of the sump bolts weren't done up (they weren't even hand-tight!). This caused quite a bit of oil-based incontinence.

[Gresley]

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Many thanks Tedlit and Brian

I've just been under the car with the engine running and there is a steady and rapid drip coming from the oil pressure switch. The car has used about 1/2 pint of oil on the way homeMy eyes were glued to the oil pressure light and it didn't come on. Many thanks Brian, I thought it could be something REALLY serious!

Brian - saved by the forum yet again!

[mad cyclist]

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Gresley wrote:

Many thanks Tedlit and Brian

I've just been under the car with the engine running and there is a steady and rapid drip coming from the oil pressure switch. The car has used about 1/2 pint of oil on the way homeMy eyes were glued to the oil pressure light and it didn't come on. Many thanks Brian, I thought it could be something REALLY serious!

Brian - saved by the forum yet again!

did mine with ordinary tools, the plastic/metal junction goes west!

[DJT]

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A word of caution: be careful tightening the new oil pressure switch. It is a taper thread and I once broke the casting by overtightening it. :X

Dave

[Gresley]

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Thanks Dave. I usually overtighten things and then go back and check if they are tight enough!

Brian

[jamcarr2]

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Hi Brian

did mine last month same problem if you do a search on the forum there is loads of advice . I did mine with no special tools well just a walking stick :shock:

JOHN

[Gresley]

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Hi everone

Called at Paddocks on the way home tonight and I have now fitted a new switch, what a PITA!!John - I didn't think to search the forum, but I found a short 1/2" spanner quite useful! Do these switches fail often? Bit worried in case it fails whilst on holiday or miles from home:shock:Thanks again

Brian
PS the car leaked 1pint of oil in 17 miles!!

[DJT]

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Gresley wrote:

Called at Paddocks on the way home tonight

How convenient to haveone of the bettersuppliers right on your doorstep. Just as well I haven't otherwise I would probably be divorced by now!

Glad you have it sorted. As for 'how often to they fail?' This is the first time I have heard of it, although it seems it is not unique. Having had this problem once, I guess you would have to be really unlucky to suffer the same fate again.

Dave

[grahamb]

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Gresley wrote:
PS the car leaked 1pint of oil in 17 miles!!


That is a lot of smoke

[GDPR]

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Gresley wrote:

Do these switches fail often?

Not such a well known fault of the Stag, but a real issue for the Montego 2.0 variants and earlier Rover 820s, which to make matters worse had two different types which also operated a fuel pump cutout on the carb versions = admittedly when it started to p**s oil out it would cause the engine to cut out..... ironic that - when I was called out to a breakdown on one, I would draw one from the stores just in case - the 1600 models didn't suffer from it so much, but just leaked oil from every joint and seal on the engine anyway

Russ:dude: