# Serious Engine Oil Leak on S205



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

I have a serious engine oil leak on our s205. I lost a gallon of oil in a 1/2 hour blowing snow today. I was lucky I noticed the leak, it was blowing and drifting so fast at the time I hardly saw any oil on the ground. 

Any hints or tips I can't find the leak. I the back of the engine is pretty clean but anything up front is covered in oil from the fan drawing it in and throwing it around. Oil poor out on the left side of the back door opening even when the machine is cold and running.


----------



## Snowzilla (Oct 24, 2009)

Are you sure it is engine oil or is it hydraulic fluid?


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

I was surprised but it is engine oil I figured hydraulic for sure when I saw the mess. It smelled like engine oil. Tasted like engine oil. Then there was the gallon of oil I had to add to get it back up to almost full on the dipstick. I am sure it is engine oil. And yes I did smell and taste it. 

We only have 350 hrs on the machine.


----------



## Snowzilla (Oct 24, 2009)

Wow! That's a lot of engine oil to lose. My 753 holds about 2 gallon engine oil. I'd be more help if it were hydraulic fluid since mine filled up the complete right side of drivetrain with a leak from leaky valve seals for the bucket controls. 

Something this major should a gusher but their engine bays are so cramped its hard to see much. I'll let someone else chime in.


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

I don't understand why you would put a gallon of oil into an engine that just leaked a gallon of oil. Load it up asap and head to the dealer or whatever mechanic you use. Don't keep running it.


----------



## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

WIPensFan;1178996 said:


> I don't understand why you would put a gallon of oil into an engine that just leaked a gallon of oil. Load it up asap and head to the dealer or whatever mechanic you use. Don't keep running it.


Exactly, 300 hours on the machine get it to the dealer. I don't know about your dealer but ours is open Saturdays and when it comes in for work we get a loner machine.

Get it to your dealer.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

We had to put the gallon of oil in so we could look for the leak and load it. It was shut down when the leak was discovered but you can't run it again without checking and filling first. Dealer was closed for new years. 

It is loaded, but I will have to call on monday and see how long of a wait it will be. Then we run into the problem here that it will likely be to cold for it to start by the time I trailer it to the dealer, and I can't leave it running on the way from my place. So that might be interesting. I am sure we will not get a loaner. 

Just thought someone may have an idea. It seems like a leak this big we should see, but we can't seem to find it.


----------



## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

I'm sorry that I don't have the answer in hand already. I do have a suggestion though. Tip the cab up and take a look at the front side of the engine. It's pretty easy. Just unscrew the nuts on either side of the door or cab entry if you don't have a door on it. Grab the handles and tip the cab up until the dampers click in to the locked position. This should give you a pretty good view, and I would bet you will be able to see the leak. The loss of a gallon (in 1/2 hr) is pretty significant so I would think you will be able to spot the source. I don't think that there are any external oil line on that engine save for one possible. Is that machine equiped with a turbo charger? If so, I would look there for a loose fitting.


----------



## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

Your Bobcat dealer doesnt have loaners or rentals ? I know my machines are older, 773 & 873, last year I had a problem with my 873, they came out & picked it up droped off a rental for all $ 75, the rental was $ 200 I believe for 8 hrs on the clock, then like $ 20 hr after that, it only snowed once so it cost me $ 200. Then they droped the repaired 873 for another $ 75 & P/u their machine. Keep in mind this machine was onsite & 45 minutes from my shop & the dealer is another 45 min from there. so for $ 75 I was more than happy to have them take care of it, it wouldve taken me 1/2 day by the time I was done. You need to look for another dealer if they cant take care of you.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

Even with the cab tilted I just can't find the source. The dealer may have some rentals, they are pretty pricey and I doubt they would have something that would work to run my blower, but we will see. They aren't the most helpful, but the next closest dealer is at least 100 miles I think.


----------



## Snowzilla (Oct 24, 2009)

I'm sure you've already checked the obvious things like:
~Is oil filter snug.
~The drain plug snug.
~Dip stick seated.
~Oil fill cap secure.

Leaks are hard to find because they always drain to the lowest point. For really tough ones they can add a die and find by using black light.

Good luck with this.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

I took it to the dealer today. Even though they can't look at it till wednesday. Maybe someone will cancel and I will get lucky. I even got it to start to get it off the trailer. 

There guess is that it blew the plug on the back of the engine where the dipstick would go if the engine was mounted the other direction. They said they have had several low hour machines do that lately. They said it is a pain to get at unless you know exactly where it is then you can kind reach blindly and do it. So hopefully it will be cheap and quick. Now I get to got use my walk behind blower to clean my driveway cause I didn't feel like renting a S160 I thought about a t190 just to try a track machine in the snow, but it was gone when I got there. 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will post again when I find out what it was for sure.


----------



## Snowzilla (Oct 24, 2009)

Is that a Kubota engine or something else? Just curious.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

Yes its a 66hp Turbo Kubota engine. Hopefully I will get it back today.


----------



## andrewlawnrangr (Dec 3, 2004)

any news on ur machine?


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

Just got it back tonight. $315 and they changed the oil, so that wasn't to terrible. Other than the money I lost not having it. It was the a small rubber plug on the backside of the engine that appears to be where you would put a dipstick if the engine were mounted in something else. 

They found the plug and said it looked smaller than the replacement so maybe the wrong one was stuck in at the factory to begin with. 

I talked to the tech, he said you pull the air cleaner then kind of lay in and reach around the back of the engine to get at it. He said it was pretty tight to get it in there, and he was about 130 lbs no wonder my 300lbs couldn't get back there to see it. 

The machine stinks like burnt oil and is still dripping oil all over. They wiped it down some, but didn't want to wash it off then send it outside to freeze everything up.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

Now I just have to get all the oil it sprayed on my vinyl siding off.


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Glad you got it fixed. They shouldn't charge for fixing that, that just shouldn't happen. A plug that comes out and blows oil all over the place, WTF. Typical for how things are these days.payup


----------



## TKLAWN (Jan 20, 2008)

Just wanted to ad some info to this if any one else is in the same situation. I just had the exact same thing happen to our 08 s185 with 800 hours. The guy that services our machine said it blows the cap out when the machine is cold and the throttle is cracked wide open. He installed a new one and put some epoxy on it to prevent it in the future glad it only cost 100$ it sure seemed like it was going to be a lot more.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

Well in my case the engine was warm when it let loose. I am always pretty careful to warm it up slow. Of course when it is -20 air temps it won't warm up idling so you have to load it to get it all the way warmed up.


----------



## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

Whoa, really old thread.



justinzich;1178967 said:


> I was surprised but it is engine oil I figured hydraulic for sure when I saw the mess. It smelled like engine oil. Tasted like engine oil. Then there was the gallon of oil I had to add to get it back up to almost full on the dipstick. I am sure it is engine oil. And yes I did smell and taste it.
> 
> We only have 350 hrs on the machine.


LOL that's funny.

Not to mention, engine oil in a diesel is blacker than coal in aboot 15 seconds and if your hydro oil is that dark, you have a serious problem.


----------



## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

dfd9;1609083 said:


> Whoa, really old thread.


2yrs isn't terrible. Not great but the guys that drag up the 3/4/5yr old stuff to post "nice pic" or "I like it" get pretty annoying.


----------



## justinzich (Jan 14, 2009)

I don't mind the old threads. People get yelled at if they don't use the search function. Using search drags up old posts but is better then a repeat of the same topic. 

When it was blowing and drifting like it was the oil got spread pretty thin and looked a lot less black then you might think. Until I saw it all over my siding.


----------

