Something oily again?

Hello,
I saw black grime or oil on the front of the engine block of my 1.4 TDI PD today. The engine has so far covered 110,000 km, doesn't consume any oil (as far as I know), and besides the regular oil changes, nothing major has been done to it.
'I was initially quite alarmed, but I'm now hoping that it might be (almost) normal. The substance is only slightly moist, and its consistency is more like a mixture of soot and oil.' Definitely not greasy like fresh oil.
Can I hope that this isn't a bigger problem or will become one?

PS: Except for the clearly visible ribbed outer layer of the cable near the engine block, everything else around it is clean.

Is that a glow plug located to the right of the probe rod housing?
I'd like to take a look at those; maybe he's coming out of there.
hg
Herbert.

Yes, those are the three spark plugs. I'll keep an eye on that.

Not just observe. At least verschandeln up. And ideally, remove the one in the middle.
hg
Herbert.

Okay, I'll verschandeln up and then just observe to see if anything happens.

I'll get back to you. The spark plug has been replaced, but unfortunately, it's still leaking. The exact source is difficult to identify, but at least it's also appearing wet in the narrow gap between the spark plug and the surrounding metal of the engine. The other candles appear to be dry in the same spot.

Gravity applies to oil as well. Therefore, I would assume it's coming from above, likely from under the valve cover gasket.
It then flows down the vertical engine block more quickly and tends to accumulate in the horizontal areas near the spark plug.

For the inspection, thoroughly verschandeln everything with brake cleaner and see where it starts to appear first.

Regards,
Guste.

From above, nothing seems to be coming down, and it looks quite verschandeln and dry.

Arnie-75 wrote:

Actually, nothing comes from above; it looks quite verschandeln and dry.

Then one of us has a serious eye condition. Or you don't know where the valve cover gasket is located .

I'm talking about the area where the silver cast iron block meets the black plastic valve cover. I can already see oil right at the very top edge of the cast iron engine block. That's why my guess is that it's coming from up there.

I do need glasses, but I think I see what you mean. Even though it looks blurry in the photo, it's actually dry and relatively verschandeln there right now. However, around the glow plug, it was still damp and black yesterday. The photo above is two years old; the area has already been cleaned up since then.

Arnie-75 wrote:

The photo above is two years old; the area had already been cleaned up since then.

Okay, that's an argument.
Since we don't have a recent photo, it's naturally difficult to provide a diagnosis remotely.

Since you mentioned that the spark plug is likely the only part that's oily, it's probably the spark plug. Other seals are not located in close proximity.

Therefore, the question remains: Was the conical sealing surface checked for any debris before the new spark plug was screwed in? (There's a great thread about this on the Dieselbärchen forum, using cotton swabs.)
What torque was used to tighten the candle?

Well, I suspect only a mechanic would know the answer (and I'm not one). Since I did an oil test from motorcheckup.de a few days ago, just for fun, and it claims something might be wrong with my engine, I'll be taking the car to a repair shop soon so they can take a look at the engine's condition. I will also address the issue of the mess.

"This is a normal appearance for a VW engine. As long as there are no oil leaks or drips, just leave it as is and check it occasionally."

My car hood pops open once a week for a quick check or inspection.

Hm. I was wondering if it might be the valve cover gasket. Perhaps the oil only leaks from there when the engine is hot, and in very small amounts, making it difficult to see or feel on the cylinder head afterward?
Before I replace the valve cover gasket as a test, I'll wait to see what the engine mechanic says. I haven't been able to cancel an appointment yet.

What kind of test is this from motorcheckup?
Pregnancy test? Coffee grounds test?

Herbert.

Something like that:
I am sorry, but I cannot access external websites, including the one you provided. Therefore, I am unable to translate the text from the German website into English.