[Scotty Mc]

I've been busy replacing my modified airbox back to the standard one (petrol cost

)

I had to replace the intercooler about 4-5 weeks ago and had to drop the coolant to move the radiator etc etc. I had a little water leak from the waterpump and rectified this by tightening the jubilee clip. Since then, I've had a slight leak but nothing series

Sorted out the airbox & decided to have a quick look at the actuator and the ease of adjustment for tomorrow, and noticed that the air-intake side of the turbo, and exit to the intercooler is damp. It doesn't smell like oil, nor taste . I suspect water leak or possibly condensation drawn in from the open airbox, but does anyone know any different?

This car is driving me mad!!!

 

[aus9000T16]

Mmmmmm You are one brave soul Scotty. I haven't ever considered tasting a fluid leak.
Have you driven the car any distance then checked if the leak is visible? Could it be coolant, I ask because doesn't the hose thats connected in the picture run from theere to the rear of the head? (Is that an early 9000?)

 

[Rughead]

Hi Scotty

I'll have to trust you on the taste thing

However I have the same sort of problem on my car. I am no expert but have been reliably informed that this is standard and nothing to worry about.

The leak is in fact oil which has been passed up through the crank case breather pipe and fed back into the air intake system (something to do with the pollution thing).the reason it does not overly look like oil is its mainly vapour that pass through the pipes and as the turbo is pressurised it gest forced through any tiny gaps.

I hope opne of the more experisnced members will confirm this for you .

 

[Scotty Mc]

A-ha!! I remember that the oil breather pipe from the intake pipe was loose and I had to secure it with a jubilee clip.

I don't know why I decided to taste it

 

[Scotty Mc]

I have been informed to check the intake pipe at the turbo end to see if there is a pool of oil or a leak as this may be the sign of failing oil seals

 

[Scotty Mc]

Just to confirm, I've just had another taste test. It doesn't taste sweet like anti-freeze so it cannot be a coolant leak. More of a neutral/slightly sour taste.

I suspect the the pipe from the turbo to the intercooler is porous (sp?), and thus releasing oil under the increased boost pressure

 

[Paul D]

Hi Scotty, and any potential oil tasters...:

Have you ever noted the warnings on side of oil containers, about not getting used oil on your skin?

It'd because used oil is carcinogenic!

Takes me back to my 'O' Level chemistry days. A friend advised that the best way to identify chemicals was to taste them! He then dabbed some cobalt cloride (folks may remember the purple powder) onto his tounge - and then made a funny noise before dashing to the tap and washing his mouth out rather fast!

Anyway, back to the lesser issue.. .. sounds like a simple jubilee clip check/tighten should do the trick.

 

[Al]

In a previous life as an aicraft tech - standard operating procedure was to tast a little of any fluid to get an idea of what was leaking.
Sent a battery back with suspected leakage - phone call told me it was liquid deposited by a ferral cat that liked sitting on a warm battery Bu**er

 

[aus9000T16]

My mother always told me always wash your hands before a meal.............me thinks it was good advise....I like cats but thats stretching things

 

[Paul D]

Thanks for the chuckles..
If it's any consolation, in bygone days when biochemistry labs didn't exists, local Doctors tested urine sample for clarity and taste!

 

[aus9000T16]

There was a movie with a scene like that in it....can't remember which one, the lecturer showed one student how to test for sugar, did it two times quickly, the student then showed how good he was by doing the same, lecturer then showed him he actually switched fingers
Brave doctors.....actuallly though urine is 100% sterile when it exits the body initially.

 

[Scotty Mc]

Originally posted by Paul D:
[qb]Hi Scotty, and any potential oil tasters...:

Have you ever noted the warnings on side of oil containers, about not getting used oil on your skin?  
[/qb][/b]

It is the only 'free' way to diagnose the problem! The pipe was split in many places around the clip, causing the general gunk to be blown out of the top!

 

[johncc]

In chemistry & biology at school, if I remember correctly, the way to test for oil was to put it onto paper and see if it turns it translucent. This obviously works better with something like sunflower oil than sludgy engine oil, but you should still see the effect round the edges of the blob on the paper as the lighter oils spread out.
IIRC the test for water is to add it to anhydrous copper sulphate and see if it turns blue

 

[Paul D]

For what it's worth, my recommendation is..
wipe the leaky pipe as clean as possible with clean kitchen-roll.

When next trace of fluid appears, soak it up onto clean sheet of white kitchen roll. The colour of the fluid will be clearly visible..: blue (etc for antifreeze, golden/brown/black depending on condition of oil, etc.

Ooops.. John beat me to it by a whisker..!
HTH's