Visual check for oil leaks

If the engine is covered in oil and oil consumption is high, check where the oil is escaping.

Check the following areas:

• Open the oil filler cap and check the seal for porosity or damage.

• Crankcase ventilation: for example the breather hoses from the crankcase to the camshaft housing and from the camshaft housing to the air collector housing.

• Cylinder head cover gasket.

• Cylinder head gasket.

• Oil filter gasket: oil filter at the oil filter flange.

• Drain plug (sealing ring).

• Oil pressure switch (sealing ring).

• Oil pan gaskets.

• Front and rear shaft seals for camshaft and crankshaft.

Since leaking oil usually spreads over a large area of the engine, the point of leakage is not immediately visible. When searching, the following procedure is recommended:

• Clean the engine. Spray the engine with a commercially available cold cleaner, let it act briefly, then rinse off with water.

  Cover the generator with a plastic bag beforehand.

Caution: For environmental protection reasons, washing vehicles on public areas is prohibited in most municipalities.

Many petrol stations now offer steam cleaning of vehicles. Since these stations guarantee that the wastewater does not seep into the ground, vehicles should be washed there.

• Dust the separating points and seals on the engine from outside with chalk or talcum powder.

• Check the oil level and top up if necessary.

• Carry out a test drive. Since oil becomes thinner when the engine is hot and can therefore escape more quickly at leak points, the test drive should cover approx. 30 km on a main road.

• Then inspect the engine with a lamp, locate the leak and rectify the fault.