Date:         Fri, 18 Feb 2000 23:17:43 EST
Reply-To:     DAVIDTHEKM@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Hunt <DAVIDTHEKM@AOL.COM>
Subject:      More Oil Leaks - Any Advice Greatly Appreciated
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Dear Engine Gurus,

I wrote last week that I was looking at buying an '82 air-cooled Westy.  The
owner had bought it on a whim a couple of months ago at an estate sale, so
the story went, and was selling it because the family wanted a loaf.

After the engine got hot, there was smoke from oil dripping on the exhaust,
not out the exhaust.  She said her mechanic told her it was leaking oil at
the valve covers.  I told her to have her mech fix the valve covers and stop
the leaks, and I would buy it.  It was at the mech's this week and was
supposedly fixed, and I went to pick it up tonight.

I met her halfway to her house, one hour drive for each of us.  She said she
had stopped for gas 5 miles from our meeting place and had checked the oil.
She said she had misread the stick in the dark and had not seen the clear oil
new oil and thought it was off the stick.  She said she therefor added 2
QUARTS and then drove it the last 5 miles.  I told her to go to an auto part
place and get a siphon to suck it out down to the correct level.

While I was helping her, I looked underneath, and it was dripping oil
steadily from the right front corner (FIF) of the engine.  By the time I got
there and then waited for her to go after a siphon, the engine was cold, but
the oil was leaking at the speed of a leaky faucet - drip - drip -drip.  In a
half hour, there was a puddle 8 inches across.

I told her I didn't want to drive it home (or pay for it yet), and that I
didn't feel she should either in case something was about to blow.  She is
planning to have her husband get it tomorrow with a flatbed and take it back
to the mechanic.

I would appreciate ideas on what the problem might be and how serious it
might be.  Could the mechanic have really fixed the valve covers, and there
not be any oil leak, then driving just 5 miles with 2 extra quarts blew
something?  When I talk to the mechanic, I want to know if his story is
reasonable.  It's too far to take it to my mechanic to check unless I've
bought it first.  She's said this guy is a former dealership mechanic with a
good reputation.  Still he's her guy and not mine.  Of course I also wonder
if she had thought the engine was 2 quarts low and had filled it to the
correct level, would she have just sold it to me and not told me it had used
2 quarts in 50 miles?

Any advice would be appreciated.

David Hunt