[Boxer]

The 308 GTB has recently developed a oil leak on the front (cambelt side) of the engine. I can't see where it is coming from exactly but the spot on the garage floor is right under the the rear set of cambelts. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Ferrari328GT]

Oil Leaks

Howdy Boxer,

There are a couple of possibilities. There is an oil seal behind each cam gear that can leak all the way down and drip off the bottom of the engine. There is also an oil seal behind the lowest gear that the timing belt goes around (adjacent to the crank gear.). Fortunately, your leak is on the rear belt area. I suggest you remove the cam belt cover and look around. I had a 308GT4 for a long time, and it was the exhaust cam seal that leaked. The seal was shot, but it had worn a groove in the camshaft. I ended up using a SpeediSleeve on the cam, new seals on both cams, and the leak went away.

If you decide it is the lower seal, that is another story. On some engines, the seal is right behind the lower gear and can be replaced pretty easily. But on others, it's actually inside the front cover. Supposedly you can get the front cover off the engine while it is in the car, but I couldn't do it on my 328. Let's hope it is the upper cam seals that are leaking. How bad is the leak? -Steve

 

[Pete04222]

Had the car been sitting awhile? Have you put many miles on it? When I bought my car the dealer disclosed that it leaked from the cam seals and gave me a new set. Once I started driving it the seals swelled back up, the leak stopped and it never came back.

 

[Boxer]

Gentlemen, Thanks for all the insights. I do think it is leaking from behind one of the cam gears. I could see a very small amount of smoke yesterday when the leak was dripping down on the hot engine.

The 308 has been sitting for the last 3 weeks. Before this it had gotten fairly regular use (every week to 10 days) since March. Prior to March it had very little use by the former owner int he last 4 years.

Before yesterdays more serious leak there had been a couple of very small oil drips which I attributed to the lack of use in the last several years.

It is due in for a service and cambelt change in the next couple of months.

 

[Boxer]

Gentlemen, Thanks for all the insights. I do think it is leaking from behind one of the cam gears. I could see a very small amount of smoke yesterday when the leak was dripping down on the hot engine.

It is due in for a service and cambelt change in the next couple of months.

The 308 GTB is off for its large service and new cambelts in a week. This probably will not be a small bill as I have a list of other things (i.e. removing the roof antenna, fixing the front tire comparment zipper, etc) that I would like to have taken care off while it is in the shop. All the small things add up very quickly as they always seem to take twice as long as anticipated.