so I was coming out of work at lunch time and I noticed about a 1 foot diameter oil patch under my truck...I investigated it and it looks like its coming from around the oil return from the vacuum pump...does anybody know if this is common to leak off the line...or maybe is IS the vacuum pump (uh oh).

Check with Phil. He was recently in there when he changed his alternator He had to have his vacuum pump seals changed. Not sure if the alternator shop replaced them for him or if he did it himself.

Oh boy... Nigel, there is a return line, going from the basepan to the alternator. Its only short, about 3 or 4 inches, and then there's another line, on a banjo fitting, going from the alternator to a spot on the block, inboard from the oil filter.

IF your leak is from underneath, I'd be checking that lower one first. Not a proprietary line or anything - just measure inside diameter, and get a line that's oil-safe. Replace those silly squeeze clamps with actual hose clamps and you're good to go. That would be an easy fix bud. Let's hope for that one.

As far as the seals, mine wasn't showing any oil leakage outside the alternator, other than an accumulation which wasn't really obvious - certainly not gushing out like your Exon Pajero Valdez. The shop did my seals between the pump and alternator when they did the rebuild.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> The question is then did you clean up your spill or drive away? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

yah when I was laying underneath it I saw the return line and I saw part of the banjo fitting line (looked steel braided but hard to tell, everything is painted black) I am hoping its just the return line as it looked the most wet, it had a drip hanging off of it. tomorrow after work I am going to investigate it and I will let you all know...I find it really weird how this all of a sudden blew up on me, my truck was clean as a whistle underneath until now.

I had massive leak a few months back and I Initially thought the same thing as you're thinking now. In my case it was merely the oil filter that had come loose from vibration which as you know is directly above the vacuum pump. So you might want to give it a spray and tighten the filter up and see if that solves the leak - I hope it does.

weird thing is I just changed the oil on Saturday...but I made a trip to St. Albert and back...it could be the oil filter...I have had stupid luck with the rubber gasket sticking on the truck when I remove an old one...that just causes problems, maybe I did it again <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

it quit leaking though...last night it never left a drop (maybe im out of oil now <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />)

My Pajero arrived this way. Huge oil leak. I was pissed off until I found the source was just a loose oil filter.

sounds like it could be a common problem....the oil leak mysteriously stopped...

this is the 2nd leak that fixed itself. a year ago I had a coolant leak that I couldn't figure out where it was coming from, I know I lose alot of coolant but it magically fixed itself and what blew me away was my coolant was still full. hahaha. I think there are Japanese ninjas that come and fix my truck in the night, they hide in the shadows so nobody can see them.

Many pajero owners complain about leaking oil filter, specially on cold weather, when the filter rabber gasket get freesing.