cliffcoggin

Igor. Considering the puddle of oil is right next to the oil filler cap I'd say that is the most likely candidate. Is the cap tight? Is there a seal under the cap? If not, crankcase pressure may have blown oil out of the filler neck.

Can you post a picture and tell us its dimensions and colour please?

Glad to read of it.

Naeem. I know nothing about your particular car, but I can say that there bound to be a relay somewhere. The current used by demisters is too high to be handled by a dashboard switch alone.

Laurie. If you can not decide for yourself if the oil leak is serious or not, your only sensible choices are either to consult an expert or to walk away from the car, because nobody can give a definite diagnosis on the basis of a brief written description in this forum. I don't know how reliable dealer guarantees are in Mallorca, but over here I would not rely on one because they generally exclude "fair wear and tear" which is open to wide interpretation.

Jovanche. [1] Yes a compression test gauge is needed for a compression test. Whether it is worth buying one for a single use when it is something any garage will be equipped to do is up to you. [2] Having checked the manual I see the fuel pumps are combined into one tandem pump. You said the pump seals have been changed, but have the valve seats been checked to ensure they do not pass fuel backwards? The pump is not capable of being adequately tested by the average home mechanic, so it would be better to get a garage to do the job. [3] The heater plugs use the same temperature sensor as the panel gauge i.e. the engine sensor, which means it signals via the ECU. I suggest you do not replace the heater plugs without clear proof they are defective. The chances are that if anything is interfering with fuel delivery it will be the ECU or one of the sensors that signal it. That again is not something most home mechanics can deal with.

Jovanche. Your hot starts are not unusually prolonged to my way of thinking. There's a rattle for a few seconds after firing, but it's an old engine and the oil has drained back faster than it would in a new engine. Your cold starts are a different matter. I have the same engine and the ambient temperature here is much the same as where you are, however my engine fires after turning over for less than three seconds. I suggest you investigate: [1] The compression pressures. A worn engine takes time to develop enough compression to ignite the mixture. [2] The two fuel pumps. Worn pumps can allow fuel to drain back to the tank, hence it takes time to refill the injectors. [3] The temperature sensor and heater plugs. Your mechanic's theory about the lack of a cold signal to initiate the heaters is perfectly feasible, though it is not something I have come across.

That's very odd Nathan. Having a high level in the water reservoir does not normally affect the fan. I wonder if you have a faulty level switch which is somehow interfering with the electronic control system.

It's a 12 year old car Laurie, so of course it won't be perfect and you must expect some defects. However the oil leak may be something as simple and cheap to rectify as a poorly sealed oil filter, or it might be a crankshaft seal that requires an expensive engine rebuild. I suggest you get it inspected by a qualified car mechanic before handing over any cash. Whatever you decide, do not be fobbed off by anything the car salesman tells you: they are experts in deceiving you without actually telling lies. Edited to correct a naming error. Sorry Laurie, I don't know where I got James from.

James. If you are happy to have secondhand parts, and why wouldn't you for non-safety items, order them from on-line car breakers.

Ha! So much for the diagnostic codes.

Congratulations on diagnosing the problem. I have never heard of an injector sticking open until now, and would not have imagined it be even possible. Does the engine run well now?

Thanks Moira. Few of those who consult us have the courtesy to let us know the outcome of their problems.

As you said Moira. It's too much of a coincidence. Maybe the switch is damaged, maybe the wires have not been re-connected. Either way, take it back to whoever did the work and get him to fix it.

Steve. We have all accepted that the clutch needs to be replaced, but is that true? Has there been any investigation of the problem, which I assume is slippage? If it is cable operated has it been adjusted? If hydraulic, have the seals been changed and the air bled out? Maybe you have looked into all those options, I only mention them as a way of getting the best out of the clutch at a minimal cost.

Steve. The price of a new clutch is easily found from dealers and garages so it seems pointless to ask on a forum. Whether it is worth fitting a new dual mass flywheel is debatable if you don't have any symptoms of spring breakage. Some would say change it while the clutch is off to save the labour cost in the long term; others would say leave it until it fails and worry about the overall extra cost when the time comes. It is a choice only you can make. As an aside I am concerned that the car was bought for scrap value when the only faults are a one inch scratch in the paint and a faulty reversing sensor. There has surely got to be something else significantly wrong with the car to be so cheap. Motor traders are not known for their philanthropy, even at this time of year.

Mohammed. Your story is confusing, but If you bought the wrong size discs why not just take them back and exchange them for the right size?

In addition to Gareth's recommendation I suggest you first take it for a 30 minute run on a motorway at or near 70 mph. to ensure the exhaust gets hot enough to burn any soot accumulation. The need for a new EGR a while ago suggests the car ran without any effective soot removal for a while. That soot may still be present.

Anthony. Any number of faults can cause smoke and oil from the exhaust, including rings, valves, head gasket, turbo seals, EGR, etc. so unless you have some mechanical aptitude it is going to be almost impossible to identify where the problem is without further investigation. To start with, is the engine using an unusual amount of oil? Is there any pressure blowing out of the oil filler when the cap is removed? Is there white emulsion inside the oil filler? Is the turbo making any unusual noises? Is the engine down on power? Are there any other symptoms?

Chris, you said you had this problem recently. Do you mean it occurred recently but was previously OK? If so, that suggests a fault with perhaps the temperature sensor or the ECU, or maybe the mass flow meter is seizing. I have a 2007 2.0 TDI, and while it is cold there is a very marginal reduction in power for a few minutes, but it is no more of a reduction than I would expect from thick oil and tight clearances, and certainly could not be described as sluggish.

Do let us know.

PS. Exhaust fumes contain deadly carbon monoxide, a gas that has no odour. If you need to drive the car before fixing the problem ensure you have at least one window fully open.

It is not the blower motor, it is the controls for the air ducts. Unfortunately I know nothing about how it works.

Which engine? What fuel? My guess is that exhaust fumes are escaping then being drawn into the heater inlet. Is the EGR blocked? Is there a hole in the exhaust/silencer system?

As Gareth said, start with a compression test. In addition to a damaged head gasket, your problem may be a broken ring or a damaged valve or faulty EGR.