Is It Meant To Be Blocked?

Is It Meant To Be Blocked?

Author
Discussion

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Saturday 11th November 2017
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Been trying to find the source of an oil leak but to no avail. I've replaced the rocker cover gasket but it's just too hard to see where exactly it's coming from, most annoying!

Anyway, it's my daughters 2003 plate Fiesta 1.4 petrol. There are 2 spark plug compartments each housing 2 spark plugs, the left side is clean'ish but the right side is dirty with oil. On the right side I noticed there is a hole next to one of the spark plugs, it's threaded and you can see the engine oil looking down into it.

What is this hole or required bolt called? Has it purposely been left out or has a mechanic previously not put the bolt back?

Thanks smile

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Monday 13th November 2017
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Thought I'd update lol. Just called Ford now they're open. It's called a Core Plug and it is needed. Fingers crossed this £1.79 plug is the reason I have oil all over the driveway ha ha.

Butter Face

31,631 posts

167 months

Monday 13th November 2017
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It’s not great that you’ve got a core plug fallen out!!

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Monday 13th November 2017
quotequote all
It has leaked since we've owned it. I suspect the last mechanic who'd delved into it had simply forgot to put it back. Hopefully smile

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Monday 13th November 2017
quotequote all
Going a bit crazy talking to myself here lol. Another update. It wasn't the core plug, it was where they put some sort of sensor on another model/engine variant. The hole apparantly is not needed to be filled.

swooshiain

377 posts

104 months

Monday 13th November 2017
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So are you any closer to finding where it's leaking then? Genuinely curious now! smile

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Tuesday 14th November 2017
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swooshiain said:
So are you any closer to finding where it's leaking then? Genuinely curious now! smile
Back to square one I'm afraid. It's all so friggin oily and tight its hard to figure it out.

Rat_Fink_67

2,464 posts

213 months

Tuesday 14th November 2017
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If it's not a core plug issue, it's highly probable it's the rubber rocker cover gasket. They go hard a shrink slightly with age and barring where the front cam sprockets are they don't have any sealant on them.

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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Rat_Fink_67 said:
If it's not a core plug issue, it's highly probable it's the rubber rocker cover gasket. They go hard a shrink slightly with age and barring where the front cam sprockets are they don't have any sealant on them.
Yeah I've already replaced the rocker cover seal (all be it with the cheaper branded one). A friend had recommended some Wynn's Engine Stop Leak, so I suppose thats the next easiest option to try out.

Emanresu

311 posts

96 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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The easiest solution is to get yourself a bottle of uv dye and a uv torch. The whole kit is cheap, probably under twenty quid.

Pour a small bottle of dye into the engine oil, start the engine and go around it with the uv torch. Wherever the oil leak is, you will see it glowing bright green under the uv light. The whole process takes 5 minutes and saves you hours of worrying. The small amount of dye is perfectly safe to leave in the engine until you’re changing the oil.

Emanresu

311 posts

96 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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Here you go, £13 on amazon and you’ll be able to pinpoint the exact location of the leak

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00TU9BHN6/ref=mp...

Cbull

Original Poster:

4,469 posts

178 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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Thanks Emanresu. Will look at that option for sure smile

Emanresu

311 posts

96 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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You’re welcome 😊

It is fantastic stuff, I’ve been using it in the shop for years. It makes it so easy to find the source of a leak and give the customer a quote to repair rather than messing about steam washing an engine and spending an hour looking for it. I have a bigger torch than the one in that kit, simply because I use it so often for AC repairs but I do have the same small one too and it works perfectly fine.