CLK55 Oil leak diagnosis

Parf

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2004 CLK55 A209 (5.4 V8)
Hi all,

I have an oil leak im hoping someone can help me diagnose. The leak appears to be coming from between the engine and clutch case (as seen in video). There also appears to be what looks like air bubbles coming from the same area. The leak may not be there and it is just finding the lowest point. The leak isnt big but enough to cause drips on the garage floor. When the engine is off it doesnt drip.

https://streamable.com/2uexo


I replaced the rocker cover gaskets and resealed the breathers this weekend and I took the throttle body off to clean it. Underneath the throttle body on the clutch housing was a big puddle of oil. I have recently changed the engine and transmission oil and this oil doesnt smell like transmission oil.

Has anyone experienced this or got any ideas of where it could be coming from. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
I'm not seeing any leak. I see a drop at the lowest point (possibly remnant of the work carried out). The drop appears to be tracking down from the other side of where you kept going back to.
 
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Parf

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The leak was there before which is why i changed the gaskets as I thought it may have been running down from the pool on top of the bell housing. I took it out Sunday after I had completed all the work and cleaned it all but its still dripping.

Theres no oil at the front of the engine so im thinking its the rear main seal (crankshaft seal) but open to ideas. The car has 89000 on it so its about now it happens.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
The car has 89000 on it so its about now it happens.
Where on earth did you get that idea? I've had several M11x engines and have taken them to double that mileage with no issues. We have one M113 with 105k and an M112 with 155k currently and neither have had issues with rear main seal.
 
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Parf

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Ive had a good look on the web and there are a lot of other forums saying it.

What else would cause a leak at the back of the engine?
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Ive had a good look on the web and there are a lot of other forums saying it.

What else would cause a leak at the back of the engine?

Its not a common issue. Given you have had an oil leak at the top and have had rocker covers and breathers off are you sure you fixed it? It looked to me on your video that oil was tracking around the join between engine and gearbox.
 

fast28

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SL55-conversion (R129) & CL63 AMG (W216)
I wonder if it's transmission oil wicking up the harness from the seal on the trans multi-plug and dripping onto the top of the transmission? I've had a leak at the multi-plug that wicked all the way up the harness and half filled the TCU with trans oil!
 

ajlsl600

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clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
I wonder if it's transmission oil wicking up the harness from the seal on the trans multi-plug and dripping onto the top of the transmission? I've had a leak at the multi-plug that wicked all the way up the harness and half filled the TCU with trans oil!


as thats a known issue why oh why is there not a drain in the harness that 1, prevents oil getting to the tcu and 2 ,alerting the owner to an issue likely to cost him a considerable sum
 
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Parf

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Ill give that another check tonight. I have changed the plug and the old plug didnt seem to have any oil on it but worth another look. Thanks.
 

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