Oil Leak, help :(

[GR124]

the engine has been sitting for awhile. Now started and we have a leak (or leaks).
Difficult for me to see where it's all coming from. Oil is new so it's kinda clear.
Starting from the top I can see it leaking from between the cam cover and the head, the flat between the cam seal hump casings. I don't think it's all coming from the cam cover. The thing is, there's a lot around the crank pulley and the dripping from the sump.
With the engine wiped clean and ran for 15-20 minutes we have a couple of drips off the sump and spraying off the crank pulley. so it's a good leak

Ok so there is some from the cam cover.
The next area down would be the oil passage from between the head and the block, is this common?
all comments welcome

[Red_Bullet]

How long has it been sitting for?

Pure optimistic speculation here not based on any knowledge, if it has been sat for many years maybe the seals dried out and with fresh oil on them might expand and fix much of it...then on the other hand?

[GR124]

How long has it been sitting for?

Pure optimistic speculation here not based on any knowledge, if it has been sat for many years maybe the seals dried out and with fresh oil on them might expand and fix much of it...then on the other hand?

Thanks RB for your response. It hasn't been started for about a year. I only removed/disturbed the sump and the CAM cover to modify them. I recently put a new gasket on the cam cover admittedly this was a cheap ebay job. I do have a OEM Mazda gasket I could replace it with. There is a good pool of oil on the above the oil pump housing (see photo).
If the oil is pooling where it is, The only places it could come from is the cam cover, cam seals (checked and look fine), head gasket?

[Red_Bullet]

Well do the easy one and see what happens, change the cam cover gasket. Old saying Don't fix what ain't fu**ed.

[GR124]

Red_Bullet I may just do that, change the EBay cam cover gasket to a OEM one

OR

Just sent an email to Mazda to grab a price for head gasket, cam cover gasket, cam seals.

I may just pull the head and replace all the above seals and gaskets? These are the three areas where it maybe coming from.

unless someone has a better idea??

[hks_kansei]

Just sent an email to Mazda to grab a price for head gasket, cam cover gasket, cam seals.

Worth noting, if you sent it to head office they likely wont be able to help.

Mazda spare parts etc are all dealt with through the dealerships, so just contact your nearest one.

Or just use somewhere like MX5 Mania, Amayama, or MX5 parts UK (depending on exchange rate)

[GR124]

Just sent an email to Mazda to grab a price for head gasket, cam cover gasket, cam seals.

Worth noting, if you sent it to head office they likely wont be able to help.

Mazda spare parts etc are all dealt with through the dealerships, so just contact your nearest one.

Or just use somewhere like MX5 Mania, Amayama, or MX5 parts UK (depending on exchange rate)

I've bought a couple of parts through the local Mazda parts dealer previously. thanks for the heads up

[Red_Bullet]

Forensics, here's an idea,

Clean all oil off the area with brake cleaner and a rag.

Start the engine allow to run for a while.

Turn off then puff chalk dust or flour lightly onto the affected area..

It should stick to the oil, maybe it will reveal the highest part of the engine that the oil is coming from.

[GR124]

Forensics, here's an idea,

Clean all oil off the area with brake cleaner and a rag.

Start the engine allow to run for a while.

Turn off then puff chalk dust or flour lightly onto the affected area..

It should stick to the oil, maybe it will reveal the highest part of the engine that the oil is coming from.

I like ya thinking, I may have a crack at that.

[RS2000]

I may just pull the head and replace all the above seals and gaskets? These are the three areas where it maybe coming from.
unless someone has a better idea??

Did you put sealant in the corners of the 3 'humps' for the camshafts?
I wouldn't remove the head. I doubt oil is coming out between head & block, as you would have bigger problems if the gasket was blown.
The oil underneath could be the crank front seal.

[Aiming Faster]

I agree with RS2000. Use the Mazda gasket, and clean the head with brake cleaner spray and a small paintbrush to really get the solvent into the corners. Then put small blobs of sealant onto the head, in the corners where the 3 humps in the rubber gasket fit - so that's 6 all up. Torque up the bolts in sequence, should be a dry result!
Did you use an ebay kit for the sump too? Bigger job to remove the sump, so inspect the lip of the front main crank seal before cleaning.
You'll need to remove the vibration damper to see properly. Using that brake cleaner spray and brush again, wash around the front main seal/sump area. I'd clean the timing belt/gears/idlers of oil too.
Good luck.

[GR124]

I agree with RS2000. Use the Mazda gasket, and clean the head with brake cleaner spray and a small paintbrush to really get the solvent into the corners. Then put small blobs of sealant onto the head, in the corners where the 3 humps in the rubber gasket fit - so that's 6 all up. Torque up the bolts in sequence, should be a dry result!
Did you use an ebay kit for the sump too? Bigger job to remove the sump, so inspect the lip of the front main crank seal before cleaning.
You'll need to remove the vibration damper to see properly. Using that brake cleaner spray and brush again, wash around the front main seal/sump area. I'd clean the timing belt/gears/idlers of oil too.
Good luck.

I may just pull the head and replace all the above seals and gaskets? These are the three areas where it maybe coming from.
unless someone has a better idea??

Did you put sealant in the corners of the 3 'humps' for the camshafts?
I wouldn't remove the head. I doubt oil is coming out between head & block, as you would have bigger problems if the gasket was blown.
The oil underneath could be the crank front seal.

Great advice guys. I will reassemble the cam cover with the OEM gasket with some sealant in the 6 corners as described.
Yes I did install the two ebay half circle type seals at each end of the sump. I did use sealant on both sides and flat mating surfaces of the sump. I hope this sealed

First job is to fit the cam seal and throw the cam belt back on and start it. I'll run it for a bit inspect and throw some flour or chalk dust on it.
I'll let you the forum know how it goes.

[GR124]

I may just pull the head and replace all the above seals and gaskets? These are the three areas where it maybe coming from.
unless someone has a better idea??

Did you put sealant in the corners of the 3 'humps' for the camshafts?
I wouldn't remove the head. I doubt oil is coming out between head & block, as you would have bigger problems if the gasket was blown.
The oil underneath could be the crank front seal.

I agree with RS2000. Use the Mazda gasket, and clean the head with brake cleaner spray and a small paintbrush to really get the solvent into the corners. Then put small blobs of sealant onto the head, in the corners where the 3 humps in the rubber gasket fit - so that's 6 all up. Torque up the bolts in sequence, should be a dry result!
Did you use an ebay kit for the sump too? Bigger job to remove the sump, so inspect the lip of the front main crank seal before cleaning.
You'll need to remove the vibration damper to see properly. Using that brake cleaner spray and brush again, wash around the front main seal/sump area. I'd clean the timing belt/gears/idlers of oil too.
Good luck.

BIG THANKS GUYS,
my bad,,looks like it was a rookie mistake . I replaced the ebay cam gasket with OEM & this time a little dob of sealant into the six corners of the cam humps. looks like it's fixed

[3gress]

Be wary of the compression ferulle type fittings on your fuel lines there too. They are more suited for lower fuel pressure carby setups.
Some use them with no issues on injected 40psi+fuel systems , others have had them blow off.
Concerned enough to mention them.

[GR124]

Be wary of the compression ferulle type fittings on your fuel lines there too. They are more suited for lower fuel pressure carby setups.
Some use them with no issues on injected 40psi+fuel systems , others have had them blow off.
Concerned enough to mention them.

I used Speedflow fittings, no Chinese junk used. I appreciate the heads up I'll keep an eye on them