Hi everyone Have a potential biggie on my hands. There seems to be an oil leak on my F430... I've had the diffuser off today as I noticed oil dripping from between the join with the tray and diffuser. There seems to be oil coming from the front end of the engine and then running back to the diffuser and showing itself on the join there. It is definitely engine oil. I can't get under the car to get the tray off, so will need to get it on a ramp to do so. Has anyone had any experience of this before or know of anyone that may have had this happen to them? The car had a new f1 pump installed a few months ago. It had a health check at emblem sports cars in July and they didn't notice anything at the time. It's quite a lot of oil and is clean oil. Oil pressure and levels are fine. Could this be the main seal, and if so, is this a big repair/cost? Look forward to replies (I think) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hi All Have a potentially expensive issue and hoping someone can share some thoughts on what it may be. It seems I have an oil leak coming from the front end of the engine bay. The oil is a really thin, clean looking oil. It is not red/hydraulic fluid. Had the car on the ramp for an hour or so and couldn't see any oil dripping. Got the car home, standing in the garage for the last two weeks, started it to move it out to tidy up the garage and noticed quite a lot of oil dripping out of the join on between the tray and diffuser. Has anyone had the same thing happen, and if so, away was the cause and the cost to repair? 😬😬 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hi All Have a potentially expensive issue and hoping someone can share some thoughts on what it may be. It seems I have an oil leak coming from the front end of the engine bay. The oil is a really thin, clean looking oil. It is not red/hydraulic fluid. Had the car on the ramp for an hour or so and couldn't see any oil dripping. Got the car home, standing in the garage for the last two weeks, started it to move it out to tidy up the garage and noticed quite a lot of oil dripping out of the join on between the tray and diffuser. Has anyone had the same thing happen, and if so, away was the cause and the cost to repair? 😬😬 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Take a pic of where it's coming from. If from the belly pan diffuser joint, things can travel. Right side or center I'd suspect clutch fluid. All fluids have their own color, scent, and viscosity. If truly clear could be brake or clutch fluid. Also what color is in in your power steering reservoir red or clear, easy to check. Have you added any fluids or had it done recently? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If it looks like clean engine oil then it may be the seal on the combined water/ oil pump. If u get the trays off and get under the car u should spot it. There is a thread on here about renewing the seal.
Okay, an update on this... Turns out it's the gasket on the front of the engine... Think it's called the front timing cover? Anyway, it's an engine out job. Thankfully the dealer is going to pay Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow, good news. Had main seal failure myself last year and it was expensive! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Good news, I am sure it would be very expensive to remove the engine and then pull the engine apart to replace the timing cover gasket. First I have heard of this gasket leaking on this engine, very interesting. It's a great engine and very strong too. Good luck with it and be sure to let us know how it all goes when you get the car back in a few months time. Image Unavailable, Please Login
If this turns out to be a front main oil seal, then it is an easy fix. I had the front main seal start to leak on my 16M last year. With the rear tray removed, clean up the engine front under the pulley area. It will be obvious where the oil is coming from. The crush plates in front of the pulley can be removed, and then a puller can remove the pulley. The front seal can easily be removed and replaced. $28 from Ricambi. You also need to replace the one-use stretch bolt on the pulley ($43.53 from Ricambi). This needs to be torqued to 450 ft-lbs.!!!! All things said, an easy job. I had the work done at Cantech in Syracuse, NY. $400 plus parts. No issues since.
Wow awesome. I was going to say cam seals but then I remembered it's the newer chain drive. Good luck.
Out of interest how many miles on the car? It is unusual for a front or rear seal to give out during normal use but they harden up if not in service regularly.
Yep, front crank seal replacement is an easy job. Rear main seal is not, gearbox comes off the back, but at least the engine doesn't have to come out. Front timing cover seal is a BIG job, engine out and cam covers off and all belts/pulleys removed to access the timing cover which needs to come off. OP said engine is coming out, so sounds like it's the timing cover gasket that needs to be replaced.
I think seals can leak at anytime unfortunately. If you don't use em, seals go hard and leak. If you do use em, seals can still go hard over time and leak. Lol, luck of the draw 99% of the time.
True for static seals, but not rotational - they are quite reliable these days if in regular service and generally last 80-100k miles.
Hi all, an update. Car is being picked up on Saturday. It is the front timing cover, so it will be an engine out job. Car has 24,500 miles... has a comprehensive service history. I will post an update when I get the news 😬 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If the front timing cover is leaking oil and the engine has to come out, does anyone know the approximate cost? I see multiple references to it is a big job and expensive, but was hoping to get a little more specific on the cost.
Turns out the engine doesn't need to come out, but it is a big job. There is a panel behind the seats that comes out and gives access to the front of the engine. (Seats need to come out), also it makes sense to do the cam covers as these need to come off as part of the job (well, that's what the dealer said). Job is 16 hours labour plus parts.... so not cheap (16 hours is both front cover and also two cam cover gaskets) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So if labor rates are $150 per hour you are looking at about $2,400 for labor plus parts. A big job for sure. Thanks for the detail.
16 hours seems a lot to me though. Basically two days to replace three gaskets--- looking at the engine, I can't see why a good technician would take 8 hours to replace the cam covers!? Surely they must be drinking copious amounts of tea between removing each bolt to take it up to 4 hours a side... I personally think it's the age old Ferrari tax. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
lol, I don't think so. I've never seen an oil filter leak out of a gasket from the front cam cover [emoji1] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
