Oil Leak Issues

[TheRog]

Looking to forum members for help with this issue. I posted about a leaky oil filter awhile back. I have no mods on the car and the leak started at 9k miles, about 1inch diameter spot on the ground each day. I took the car to the dealer, and they changed the oil filter and drain plug. I know enough about cars to know that this was not the cause of the leak. Brought it back a few days later still leaking, and was told that it would need to be sent to another facility to diagnose the leak. I was not given a loaner car... and 3 weeks later I was told the car was fixed. They replaced the rear main seal and oil pan gasket. I was shocked and disappointed that a rear main seal would fail on a car with less than 10k miles. I put another 1500 miles on the car and recently looked under the car to see that it is still leaking as much oil as when this started. I've been parking on the street so the spots were not as obvious as when it was parked in my garage, but everything is wet again. I attached a pic below to see if anyone has any ideas. Also, I had the dealership inspect the oil pressure sensor as was recommended to me the last time I posted. Not sure what to do here, but I'm getting ready to demand a new engine if they can't pinpoint the leak. This is the first new car I have purchased and it's already set the record of most down time at a shop.

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[PRG3k]

Do you know the lemon law in CA?

"The manufacturer or its agents have made four or more attempts to repair the same warranty problem."

You seem halfway there, already.

http://www.dca.ca.gov/acp/pdf_files/englemn.pdf

You have leverage against the dealership. Be sure and use it.

(I'm sure they'll fix it for you quickly once you bring this up.)

 

[jbailer]

^^ This! I wouldn't lose any time trying to figure it out, I'd take it back as quick as possible. The LL is also time gated. Make them get it right.

 

[Regs]

3 weeks without a loaner makes that kind of of difficult Id say. I would be raising hell to get one.

 

[Banjo]

I remember a year or so ago someone saying their oil pressure sensor was not tight in their car and leaked but I don't recall any pictures. It was more a warning to check yours or tighten it. I can't imagine the dealer wouldn't have tried this but who knows. The sensor is the one just above the filter going towards the rear of the car.

 

[TheRog]

I thought I would post an update for those that are interested. I find posting is somewhat therapeutic throughout this journey. I brought the car in for a warranty repair of the oil leak for the third time and threatened to sue if the car was not fixed. I cited the California lemon law and told them they were already in violation for exceeding 30 days on the same repair. I was told the car was fixed the next day, drove it home (10 miles) and the engine was covered in oil again. I went back to the dealership the next day for the fourth time and raised hell until they agreed to give me a loaner car. It's been a week and a half and the car is still at the dealership. They said they have replaced the oil sensor, drain plug, rear main seal, oil pan gasket twice, and the oil filter adapter flange o-ring. The car is now just shy of 40 total accumulated days at the dealership and the car has less than 13k miles. I bought this car new because I wanted a factory sealed engine that would last me over 100k miles. Even if they do "fix" it, I would worry about latent failures given that the quality of the repairs that I can see are subpar. The last time they changed the oil pan, I could see a quarter inch of silicon visibly squeezed out between the engine block and the pan gasket. Didn't look like this from the factory. I contacted a lawyer and it sounds like it's time to file a lemon lawsuit against Ford. I'm sad that it has come to this, but I want the car replaced, or a new engine with a 100k mile warranty.

 

[Regs]

Yes, def get another car. It sounds like the engine is a dud and is only a matter of time. I would feel a complete lack of confidence with the repair work too. It's obvious the engine needs to be replaced, and they are trying everything but that to fix it.

 

[wildcatgoal]

It is not uncommon to have sealant squeezed out between the mating surfaces when a human being using a tube of sealant by hand is doing the sealant job. It's best if they clean it up, but it's nonetheless safer to just let it set.

 

[Cobra Jet]

But... Shouldn't the requirement be use of proper matched gaskets and not just silicone or gasket sealer squirted everywhere??

If they have replaced all of those items already and it's still leaking - then there has to be either a minute crack somewhere allowing oil to leak, a hose that is lose or cracked OR....

the end of the crankshaft was scored during initial engine assembly, which will allow oil to get past the rear main seal. If the end of the crank was scored, it's not going to matter how many rear main seals are replaced, the oil will still get past the scoring on the crank journal. The ONLY way to solve that (w/o replacing the crank) is they would need to install a repair sleeve on the end of the crank, then a new rear main seal.

Here's the question I would ask them:
Have they put dye into the engine oil to determine the source of the leak?? The proper way to diagnose would have been they clean up the entire engine of any oil (dry surfaces). Dump in a dye, run the engine and then using a special lamp locate the oil leak as its first seen accumulating. That would pinpoint the possible source, instead of just randomly replacing parts and gaskets.

 

[Keiferson22]

I had a similar issue, it ended up being the oil filter adaptor assembly. The assembly that holds the pressure switch and filter is bolted to the block and uses a gasket. Even the path of the oil leak looked similar to yours.

It's odd how there is even oil on the oil pressure sending unit, looks like you have the performance pack. Maybe you have a bad sensor or seal?

Sorry about your luck, hope everything works out.

 

[LightningBlue17]

I thought I would post an update for those that are interested. I find posting is somewhat therapeutic throughout this journey. I brought the car in for a warranty repair of the oil leak for the third time and threatened to sue if the car was not fixed. I cited the California lemon law and told them they were already in violation for exceeding 30 days on the same repair. I was told the car was fixed the next day, drove it home (10 miles) and the engine was covered in oil again. I went back to the dealership the next day for the fourth time and raised hell until they agreed to give me a loaner car. It's been a week and a half and the car is still at the dealership. They said they have replaced the oil sensor, drain plug, rear main seal, oil pan gasket twice, and the oil filter adapter flange o-ring. The car is now just shy of 40 total accumulated days at the dealership and the car has less than 13k miles. I bought this car new because I wanted a factory sealed engine that would last me over 100k miles. Even if they do "fix" it, I would worry about latent failures given that the quality of the repairs that I can see are subpar. The last time they changed the oil pan, I could see a quarter inch of silicon visibly squeezed out between the engine block and the pan gasket. Didn't look like this from the factory. I contacted a lawyer and it sounds like it's time to file a lemon lawsuit against Ford. I'm sad that it has come to this, but I want the car replaced, or a new engine with a 100k mile warranty.

So it's Lemon Law time? Four times without a fix?

 

[Keiferson22]

Here's what I had going on, although self induced...

 

[lisandra]

Here's what I had going on, although self induced...

What are we looking at here?

 

[thanassis]

What are we looking at here?

There is a crack near the sensor!

 

[RedEcoJet]

Tough to see

That crack would be tough to see from under the car. Bet it would leak a good amount. I recently had an o-ring type gasket start leaking under the oil filter housing on my wife's BMW. Man did it make mess, and it took me a few weeks to find it. Fix was a $9 gasket and a $45 socket to prevent having to remove the intake.

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