Oil in engine bay
11-22-2012 | 06:49 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 526
Likes: 2
From: New York
Oil in engine bay
I took my 2006 Cayman S engine cover off and discovered oil on a crossover tube on the intake manifold. Does anyone know what this is and if it is cause for concern?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
11-23-2012 | 01:10 PM
#3
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,032
Likes: 256
From: Centerton, AR
Oh man. My Boxster's engine cover hasn't been off the car since a Republican president was in the White House so I don't remember what's exactly normal but that does not look normal.
IIRC those clamps are not factory so somebody's been in there and the hoses may not be sealed.
This is not a suggestion the clamps need to be tightened some more. Over tightening hose clamps is just a way to make a small hose leak a bigger hose leak.
A common problem is when hoses are slipped over their hose connection a piece of the hose gets caught and bent back and forms a slight vacuum or pressure leak. (This is very true in the case of the Turbo cars where the intake hoses have to hold in 7 or more psi when the turbos are making boost).
But even in NA engines the intake manifold can see atmospheric pressure under full throttle and if the AOS is going bad and there is an excess of oil in the intake over time this can force some out and well, you have the signs you see.
The presence of that much oil at both of these joints suggests there's a goodly amount of oil vapor in the intake which suggests a possible AOS problem. However, you do not report any other symptoms of an AOS so it may be my over active imagination.
Still, you can if you want remove the throttle body and if its internal surfaces are oily, if there is a goodly amount of oil collected at the hose fitting/port directly downstream of the TB where the AOS hose connects, this could be the early warning signs of a bad AOS.
Also, give the rest of the engine a good inspection. There could be an oil leak (or fluid leak) from some other spot and it could account for the oil you see. Not likely frankly given how the oil sign is so regular around the clamp areas. But check anyhow. There is always two problems unless there is just 1 or 3 or more.
IIRC those clamps are not factory so somebody's been in there and the hoses may not be sealed.
This is not a suggestion the clamps need to be tightened some more. Over tightening hose clamps is just a way to make a small hose leak a bigger hose leak.
A common problem is when hoses are slipped over their hose connection a piece of the hose gets caught and bent back and forms a slight vacuum or pressure leak. (This is very true in the case of the Turbo cars where the intake hoses have to hold in 7 or more psi when the turbos are making boost).
But even in NA engines the intake manifold can see atmospheric pressure under full throttle and if the AOS is going bad and there is an excess of oil in the intake over time this can force some out and well, you have the signs you see.
The presence of that much oil at both of these joints suggests there's a goodly amount of oil vapor in the intake which suggests a possible AOS problem. However, you do not report any other symptoms of an AOS so it may be my over active imagination.
Still, you can if you want remove the throttle body and if its internal surfaces are oily, if there is a goodly amount of oil collected at the hose fitting/port directly downstream of the TB where the AOS hose connects, this could be the early warning signs of a bad AOS.
Also, give the rest of the engine a good inspection. There could be an oil leak (or fluid leak) from some other spot and it could account for the oil you see. Not likely frankly given how the oil sign is so regular around the clamp areas. But check anyhow. There is always two problems unless there is just 1 or 3 or more.
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07-17-2018 | 10:34 AM
#8
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,262
Likes: 124
From: Tennessee
Doesn't really look like much of a problem to me - probably just oil seepage. The AOS could be getting bad to get that much oil in there. I would clean it thoroughly and check condition of the rubber parts if it were me, reinstall, and check again in a few thousand miles to see how fast the buildup is.
