Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2000 20:27:31 -0800
Reply-To: STEPHANIE WOLZ <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: STEPHANIE WOLZ <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Oil mist/ leak on rear hatch and back of motor
Probably, the breather hose is clogged. This is the hose which runs from
the stack kinda in the middle of the engine across to the intake boot. If
somewhere along the line, someone installed heater hose instead of oil
resistant hose, the inside of the hose will swell and eventually close down,
so that crankcase pressure has nowhere to go. It will push the dipstick out
a bit and oil will escape in a fine mist. You'll have oil all over the
place, but especially around the back part of the engine and over the
pulleys, etc.
Pull the hose and see if it is clogged. If so, 3/4" heater hose will work
as a temporary fix, but you really should get the right hose.
Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Timothy King" <timking@USWEST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 6:43 PM
Subject: Oil mist/ leak on rear hatch and back of motor
Hi Volks --
Just got back from a camping trip -- About 200 miles of mostly freeway
driving. I checked the oil before I left and added about .5 qt (Mobil-1
15-15. Air temp about 48 degrees, Mann filter and fresh oil about 1500 miles
ago). I got home and the van smelled "oil hot." It was running just fine,
however, the back hatch and bumper have a nice mist of oil on them. I
checked the oil and was down about a half quart. Oil was dripping on the
driveway in random spots from the rear engine carrier. When I opened the
hatch and cover, it looked like the engine was coated with a light mist of
oil (more had collected in the cavities of the rear engine carrier/motor
mounts). It almost looks like the oil was dripping on the alternator belt
from somewhere and being tossed from there (for example the AC compressor
was soaked and there's a nice spray on the dist cap/wires). I can't see any
obvious leaks. There's little bits of oil drips in all the obvious locations
(oil cooler hoses, crank pulley, etc...). My only thought is to clean the
engine, then start it and let it run, hoping to find the leak that way.
Any other thoughts? I've had real tough couple of months with my German cars
and I could really use an easy fix before I just get rid of them all and buy
a Honda mini-van (just kidding, that would never happen. Though my vanagon
and Audi are really bumming me out, lately.)
Thanks
Tim King
Seattle, WA
87 Syncro Westy
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