 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > Oil everywhere |
 
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20937  
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I would consider cleaning it up with brake cleaner or similar, then look closely as to where the oil origin is coming from.
I’d imagine it probably is the gasket, and if so that is cheap. You can literally unbolt it, replace the gasket, and then refit, there is torque settings in the WSM for the fixings there, you don’t need to unbolt the pipe attached to it unless you replace the actual pump. ____\We|Will|Win/___ ____/🇬🇧🇺🇸\____ _//*⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰*\\_ |
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25th Jun 2025 9:28pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8359  
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a small amount of oil goes a long way and usually makes it look far worse.
as above clean it up and see how it goes. Buy some spare oil, if its showing level and not dpf diluted then not too many concerns. If its the gasket you can probably see it leak when ticking over when warm. front prop change wont have damaged diff pinion oil seal. more likely a blocked breather, hot oil during the run pushed out as air couldnt get through axle breather. check breather Cheers James 110 2010 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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26th Jun 2025 8:18am |
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 126  
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Thanks to both of you, both for technical advise but just as much for moral support. Admittedly I was a bit stressed as I crawled out from beneath the Landy last night. It looks like a complete mess.
Cleaned up the area and drove to the Ford dealer, they had the gasket on shelf and a liter of correct spec oil. Back again I could see the oil on top of the gasket that was just cleaned. Hopefully this leak is sorted. Will investigate the breather pipe as well. |
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26th Jun 2025 10:19am |
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| Cragster69 Member Since: 15 Jun 2021 Location: Scotland Posts: 239  
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I had a similar issue last year, fitted a new gasket, relatively cheap fix.
After replacing still had a leak, thought the gasket was damaged during fitting, but the vacuum pump had a hairline crack. New pump and gasket needed. Your pictures don't look as bad as mine so hopefully just a new gasket for you 
Oil loss was minimal, it looks worse because of the fan and air moving it and spreading over a large flat surface area. Craig. “Don't believe everything you read on the internet.” ― Abraham Lincoln www.scotgrc.co.uk |
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26th Jun 2025 10:22am |
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| MatLandy Member Since: 11 Sep 2020 Location: Paris Posts: 202  
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Most probably the seal on the pump pulley shaft is failing (not the seal between the pump and engine block). LR issued bulletin LTB00177 for this. If this is confirmed to be your issue, then either change the pump for a new one, or dismantle it and change the seal as some have done with success (including me), see here : https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic70364...c983cc12b2 /Mat |
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26th Jun 2025 10:22am |
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 126
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I had the seal behind the pulley fail on a previous Puma. That mess was on another level, to the point where oil made its way to the windscreen.
I will monitor for sure. I really like the fix with a new improved seal, if it comes to that I will give it a go. |
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26th Jun 2025 10:32am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17911 
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A failed or failing shaft seal will nearly always result in the underside of the bonnet becoming covered in oil. A failed or failing gasket seems to cause a leak going downwards and not all over the bonnet.
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26th Jun 2025 11:06am |
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| MatLandy Member Since: 11 Sep 2020 Location: Paris Posts: 202
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Zooming on the OP picture, there is a small oil pocket that can be seen on the pump, above the level of the gasket between the pump and engine. Only way for oil to get there to me is a shaft seal starting to fail and then oil thrown away with rotation of the pulley. I guess the seal will eventually fail completely in the future and the bonnet will be covered in oil, it’s just a matter of time.
Just my 2 cents. I can be wrong.  Click image to enlarge Mat |
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26th Jun 2025 1:38pm |
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 126
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Sadly MatLandy is probably right, the only other explanation to the continued leak is that I screwed up (which, when I think about it may have a higher probability still).
23Nm was a bit low for my torque wrench so I calibrated as best I could, at least it should be close and on the lower side. Click image to enlarge Five minutes of idling and it was still dry: Click image to enlarge But after a short trip it was all wet again. Let’s hope the dealer can get hold of a pump and a new gasket. At the moment I can’t attempt to rebuild the old one but will keep it and do the rebuild later. |
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26th Jun 2025 8:45pm |
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 126
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It seems that the laws of physics was briefly suspended just to put that oil in the pocket. I've now done another 5000 km and there is no oil leak, at least not from the vacuum pump.  I suspect that the oil that emerged during my first ride came from pockets in the mating surfaces between pump and engine block.
BW's description of a failed gasket match very well with my reality. Might be good to know for future readers as there is a price difference between the gasket and a new pump. |
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3rd Aug 2025 6:47pm |
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 126
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Today I was able to take a proper look at what is going on under the Landy and I hope for some advice.
Pinion seal is leaking for sure as I was able to add another 2 dl to the diff. But it looks strange as it is oily also on top of the diff. I tried to pull out the breather pipe but stopped just to ask, how hard shall I pull? Additionally there are clean oil droplets hanging from the bell housing. The bell housing and gearbox have been oily and greasy since before so a bit hard to say what is what. It looked like it came from the left side of the bell housing. I did find droplets also there and higher up than the hole in the bell housing. Inspected through the whole with cotton pins but no oil there. Any ideas where this can come from? Clutch and brake fluid reservoirs are full so I assume gearbox oil. Gearbox had new oil in November. I’ve cleaned up as best I could with brake cleaner, hopefully I can get more clues as it emerges again. |
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10th Aug 2025 5:02pm |
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| jbcollier Member Since: 29 Apr 2024 Location: Edmonton AB Posts: 262  
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Leaking front diff with no sign of leaking? Axle seals.
Oil gets places and loves gravity. Lots of drips and messy bottoms actually originate from the rocker cover/injector area. These engines also pressurize their crankcases when the copper injector seals give way. Oil from the bell housing is another classic sign of crankcase pressurization. |
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10th Aug 2025 11:58pm |
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 126
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Thanks. I was able to take some pictures today that might help.
Click image to enlarge Oil droplet at bottom of bell housing, seems to come from top/side of housing, left hand side. Click image to enlarge Oil is clean so I don’t think it’s engine oil as that one have 10000kms now. There is a pipe going into the bell housing further up, almost at the top, on the left side. I believe it is the clutch line. Is there a joint on that line that can leak? If it was the slave cylinder or MTF from the gearbox I can’t see how it can come from above. Click image to enlarge Pinion definitely leaking, I am just puzzled why the oil is defying gravity and going up and forward. And no, I can’t find any leak from above. Oh, and the fuel tank is leaking as well.  What a holiday trip we’ve had. Vacuum pump gasket, front diff pinion, something unidentified around the bell housing, diesel tank and I almost forgot, both swivel houses.
Was it ill advised to bring her to 2500 m altitude? |
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12th Aug 2025 10:07pm |
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| jbcollier Member Since: 29 Apr 2024 Location: Edmonton AB Posts: 262
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Sweet Mother of Pearl, the pinion seal is not leaking. Sweating a bit, maybe. Nothing to be concerned about. If you are losing diff oil, it’s not from that seal.
A single drop on the bottom of the bell housing? Also not much of a leak. It’s not engine oil so that leaves tranny or clutch fluid. Taste and smell it. Should be obvious if it is clutch (brake) fluid. That has a strong acrid taste. PS: taste, don’t swallow. For the record, it’s an oil leak when you get oil on your white clothing when looking at it from 10 feet away. Anything less than that is minor and very handy for preventing rust. |
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12th Aug 2025 11:04pm |
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