@DarrylvanNiekerk
So the oil leaking on to the manifold is almost in front/middle on cylinder 1 exhaust.
From what I saw I didn’t see any oil leak from the oil separator (thats where the oil filter is right?)
Will take a look at the back of the engine, it shouldn’t be the vacuum pump since I had that replaced when I first got the car.
Out of curiosity, how do I know when I need to replace the VANOS sensors? Because if I just need to do the seals then thats a huge saving IMO.
There's still a few spots it could be coming from, not saying it isn't your TCG.
Oil filler cap seal, eccentric shaft gasket flange...
I suggest removing the top covers and inspecting where the leak is coming from.
Check out realoem.com, put your vehicle details in and you can see every single part that makes your car up and how it goes together - very informative.
Oil separator sits under the intake manifold, you'll need a torch to look into the recesses to check for leaks.
Buy the VANOS sensor seals then remove the sensors, if you pull and replace oil will leak from there.
Check the sensors for any metal filings on the screens to know if things are in a bad way inside the engine.
I used brake cleaner and sprayed inside the solenoids until they were spotless and rattled when I shook them - ie. solenoids aren't bound up. Some say brake cleaner is too harsh...
You can test if they are working by connecting to a 9v battery, check for polarity first. If the solenoid clicks when you apply power it is working.
