Should this be open?
 

Hey guys, this is the original posted about oil in my heat exchangers.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/665361-oil-heat-exchangers.html?highlight=seymore

I am getting exhaust in the cab with me. Through the side vents.

I was changing my trans oil today and noticed this. It on the SSi and when I stick my finger in it there is oil in it. Could this be the cause of my problem and if so what should I do? Plug it?

Thankshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361474993.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361475015.jpg

And as you can see there is oil all over the SSI from somewhere.

That pipe is made for MFI injection engines to preheat the pump enrichment through a small hose attached to the MFI pump. if you have oil in the exchanger it's coming from somewhere else.

Would it be ok to plug the hole?

Sure, but most likely this is not the cause.

Do you have any other oil leaks? Any oil leaks in front of the main engine fan? You need to figure out how oil is getting into the heat exchanger? Look at the inlet side of the exchanger is that end oily?

That hole would be the cause of some of the smell getting into the cabin so plug it. Looks like oil is coming out of the valve cover studs and somewhere else up high.

I found oil on my left SSI that looks just like yours. It turned out to come from a leaking camshaft/tensioner oil line. The oil ran all the way down the engine tin, then leaked out as it appears in your photo. Anything is possible.

Keep in mind that with engine running you always have air flow through the heat exchanger, as long as you have everything in place in the engine bay. This means that the inside of the exchanger has positive air pressure and the hole you are questioning would not be able to have air flowing into it, it would have air flowing out of it.

But if you don't have the rear engine bay heater fan in place and all it's duct work then things would change. Do you have the rear heater fan in the engine bay?

Yes to the fan. I just had a valve job last year with new seals and nuts. The ssi were put on as well. I know these cars are notorious for leaking. But when I look under the car it look like its leaking from everywhere. I need to take it to the car was and spray it down then keep an eye on where its leaking from.

Yes, clean it up then always look for the highest oil wet spot. Looking at the bottom won't help find the issue.

Inspect the inside of the rear heat blower in the engine bay, does it show oil inside? Look at all the heat ducts to see if you have oil in those. Also look behind the main engine fan, inside the engine shroud, many times oil is blown by the huge engine fan all over the inside of the shroud.

Thanks for the help. I will look around the fans and give it a wash