Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Aero 8 S1 Oil leak

I was really hoping I wouldn't have to post a topic of this nature so soon into Morgan ownership but there you go!

I last took my car out the weekend before last, checked the fluid levels and all was fine. I drove it out this afternoon to clean and left the engine running while i went back to close the garage door when I spotted quite a large pool of oil on the garage floor! I immediately rushed back to the car to take a look and sure enough oil was leaking from under the N/S front wing behind the air vent.

I opened the bonnet to take a look around but couldn't see any obvious signs, it's not easy to look around what with those huge wings and alluminium under tray. The oil was dripping at quite a rate so I switched the engine off and checked the oil, clearly it had lost oil and one would assume on that last drive out a few weeks ago.

The car is a 2003 model.

Any ideas??

Sounds like the oil pipe might have split or similar. Oil filter is there and transfer pipes etc as its remote.

Common fault....dont get dis heartened, it'll be alright.

My Brother had this recently then he got it back from the repair and the bottom hose started leaking coolant as that had worn through on the suspension.

I think the oil filter is behind the near side front wing, so could be that has come loose.

Just a guess.

Regards
Andrew

Sorry to hear you have had an oil leak so soon in your ownership, from the other replies it does not seem to be too serious. I have had my S1 for 6 weeks now and plenty of Series 1 information is already flying about on Talk Morgan, so I don't feel alone.

Hi

Sorry to hear of your leak.

It is most likely oil filter housing/oil delivery pipe related if the engine oil level has definitely dropped.

Has it been serviced recently? If so it could be a badly seated o ring in the oil filter assembly, or a crack in the plastic filter housing cap, perhaps due to over enthusiastic tightening? I think the recommended torque is only 25Nm which is not much.

If you need any photographs of the area behind the wing, drop me a pm with your email address and I'll send you some.

I had the same problem several year ago, as the oil filter is concealed in the front nearside wing, there are two braided pipes from the engine to filter. There are 4 small rubber washers at each end of the pipes which had perished. A few £'s from the local BMW garage and my local mechanic to take the wing off problem solved. While the wing's off change the filter and oil.
Regards,
David.

Keep your fingers cross that it's the o rings by the filter. Unfortunately the ones into the block also harden and they are an absolute pig to replace. Just did it and let's say my swearing box is full!

Cheers

A big thanks for all of your replies, I think it's safe to say that the failure is in the vicinity of the oil filter housing. I was about to book it in for a service at Morgan in the next few months anyway so in a way I'm glad this has failed now and not just after I have paid for a service(every cloud and all that)at Morgan.

A special thanks to Sloany for the detailed photo's

I now need to work out if the RAC will take it for me, I have the all singing personal membership solution 4 but it's not clear and designed to confuse I'm sure. The Morgan garage is 21 miles from where I live.

Anyone know if recovery to the garage is possible?

If its goint to Brands hatch Mogs then they have a covered trailer???

Sorted!!

A very competent friend offered to take a look for me on Saturday morning, we started at 8.00 and had the bonnet, cowl, light out & wing off by 8.55

Sure enough the leak was at the oil filter housing and it turned out to be a failed O ring, we raced off to BMW and typically you can't just buy 50p worth of O ring it only comes with a new filter so naturally I was more than happy to pay the man the money and I took 2 litres of Mobil 1 while I was there.

We returned to my garage, fitted the new O ring, topped up the oil, cleaned up all the mess, put all the panels back on and now we could just about get to BHM for the breakfast meet and subsequent road run at midday if I put my foot down!

Over the moon that I had just had my Aero fixed for £41 and excited about attending my first Morgan meet I managed to scrape the N/S front wing of my Audi against the garage wall!

Many thanks for all the excellent advice.