I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: an engine oil leak
I’m having some difficulties resolving an oil leak on my MK1. Whenever the car warms up I can smell burning oil. The garage has diagnosed replacement of camshaft and crankshaft oil seals. And they have now replaced these twice. Once at their own expense and it’s still leaking and smelling. The quantity of leak is quite small ie no oil on the floor and not had to top up. But it’s very unpleasant to drive as it vaporises and the smell gets in the car.
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar with these replacement oil seals. Are they tricky to replace? Could it be anything else leaking in that general area at the front of the engine. Any advice anyone?
Many thanks
My experience from owning a Mk1 which also had an unpleasant oil burning smell was diagnosed as a leaking cam cover/CAS gasket. Apart from leaking down the side of the head it also leaked down the spark plug wells, hence the smell.
Guessing this could have, should have been investigated when having the other seals fixed?
I second the CAS o-ring suggestion. Had the same issue last year exactly as you describe. Oil drips onto the heater hose and can soften that creating another potential problem. I changed the CAS o-ring and the two heater hoses, which solved the issue.
Cam Angle Sensor the gasket or ‘O’ ring can leak and cause the above as described. The CAS is situated on the rear of the engine exhaust side, see link below.
As I posted the cam cover gasket can leak showing visible oil leakage on the outside of the engine casing but also it can get into the plug wells. You need to pop out the plug leads and look down into the wells, better still take each plug out, if any come out covered in unburnt oil you have a leak down there, almost certainly a failed gasket.
Do check first as above for signs before you start ripping into stripping it down, if you find it’s leaking buy genuine Mazda gaskets, a read below and probably many other guides online, YouTube etc…
