328 Head gasket oil sweating?

I wonder if there is a small oil leakage (no drops, more like sweating) at the head gasket of the rear bank of my 1988.5 328. Position is at the rear side at or nearby the corner on the passenger side, see red area in below pic (area cleaned).
When a head gasket leaks you would expect coolant to leak, not oil but there might be an oil canal in the area?

Its below the cam-shaft seal that is slightly leaking but that does not seem to reach the indicated head gasket area (and that is cleaned regularly). But oil can creep beyond our imagination.

Any ideas here are more than welcome!
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More likely either the cam cover gasket or the O ring round the cam seal carrier (or the join between the two). Oil sits behind the cam seal housing on the exhaust cam of the rear bank hence the tool to make an additional drain hole there if you can find it.....

 

Agree that sometimes it's tricky to really know where an oil leak is coming from, but I wound up having Moorespeed replace both head gaskets due to oil puddling on the top of my TR engine (and that can't be a cam seal leak ) -- so it can happen. Also had evidence of coolant weeping at the other head gasket joint so did that side as well.

 

On a similar subject, if you guys don’t mind me asking, a friend ask me to look under his front back and saw this. No oil in the water and no water in the oil system so what is this greenish thing between the head and the block? It’s looks dry. TIA.

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I'm going with coolant weeping (and drying/crusting)

 

And sometimes all you need to do is to retorque the head nuts ..... at the next engine service, valve adjustment time.

 

Hi,
agree with all assumptions above. Additionally you can look or feel the upper corner of the head gasket area. There is oil pressure. I needed some time to realize that the very small leak on my 308 is not in the area shown in your picture.
Paul

 

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Thanks everybody. Paul01, I dont understand since the position you indicate is the same as I did in my initial pic. See below more clearly indicated (not my block), please confirm.
Can you explain where the oil pressure is comming from. From the inside (cylinderside) I of course understand but you indicate another source for the oil pressure?
No cooling liquid in oil or vv, also I am pretty sure that this oil sweating is going on for years already.

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By the way, I much like using pics as you did. Pics show so much more than words, especially in this international medium.

 

When it has signs of leaking again I will have a look for you. I hope its the valve cover.
Its nicely cleaned so new traces must indicate where the leaking is from...I hope

 

Hi,

Yes it is exactly the same area where we see single oil drips. In my car no oil/water mix too.

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In my case the oil didn´t sweat there. It comes from the top side. Runs outside along the the gasket. I needed brake cleaner before driving to be sure. Driving without the rear belt cover.
Paul

 

Maybe better sideview
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Paul01, sorry I should have understood your first pic. This might be the case with my 328 and to inspect I should remove the rear belt cover.

How did you solve this? I read some time ago about a head gasket issue (3x8) where they just gave some additional torque to the head bolts.

 

Hi André, well that is an offer I cannot refuse.......... Great if you are willing to do so. I have no bridge in my garage so I guess you want to have the 328 inspected in yours.
By the way, milage is 83.000 km with a super maintenance history during my ownership since 2007.

 

Oil pressure area -> New head gasket.

Please tell us if you find the leak position.

Paul

 

Paul, I drive Thursday to Dré (Moletti) and will share our findings. Unfortunately I did not hear from others having oil leakage/sweating at the head-gasket position although I recall having read it in the past.
Also have there been discussing if the nuts of the cylinder head studs need retightening after each 20k km. See below all official directions regarding this from the Workshop manual and Owners manual:

 

Here they are:
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Hi,
ok you can try that.
I would search for the leak position first. Don´t forget the points of other persons above. Cam seal rings near the pulley...
Paul

 

I had a great afternoon at and with Andretti Molletti (AM) who is a well known technical expert in the Italian car szene in the Netherlands (and owner of several car beauties). Removed the airfilter housing and inspected the headgasket at the right side front corner of the rear bank to check if my 328 has the same oil leak issue as Paul01 shows above in his pics. At my engine it was fully dry in this and other area's so we concluded that the oil sweating is not the head gasket. Only clarification we could make is that the small oil leak at the exhaust camshaft-seal housing finds it way overtime to the spot indicated in my top picture.

 

Sorry Alfer I can't help you but where does this pictures come from please ?

 

Thanks a lot Alfer!
It was certainly a great afternoon! Nice talking to you and nice car too! Thats where forums are meant for: social contacts and making friends!
The pleasure was mines thanks for the visit and see you soon!

O .. and don't forget to fill her up ever now and then

 

Hello Bertrand, I have no idea since I collect all interesting pics concerning the 328 that might be handy at some time.

 

IF you need Australian head Gaskets, just let me know.
Murray