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Date:         Mon, 20 Aug 2001 00:13:36 -0700
Reply-To:     Coby Smolens <cobys5@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Coby Smolens <cobys5@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: oil leak update
Comments: To: sevenkevin@WEBTV.NET
In-Reply-To:  <19412-3B809096-3123@storefull-121.iap.bryant.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Ditto the other recommendations to buy the book. If you're gonna keep the van and work on it (or have an un-Vanagon mechanic work on it) it will pay for itself MANY times over, very quickly. You can get the Bentley new for around $65 (plus shipping, if necessary), from Bus Depot or Rocky Mountain Motorworks. If that's not the price you find there, let me know and I can get it for you.

A couple comments: It would be helpful to know where the oil is coming from. If it's from between the transmission and the engine it is unlikely to be a missing flywheel o-ring, unless you just did the clutch or something that involved taking off the flywheel. How fast did the oil go missing? These engines have aluminum plugs pressed into the ends of the oil galley drillings at both ends of the block, and although it's unusual for the waterboxer to blow these plugs it's not unheard of. Also (MUCH worse case) there is the possibility that movement in the main bearings is allowing the flywheel to rub against the rear main seal in such a way that causes it to leak (happened to my own 83 Westy)... We won't go there yet. By the way, FYI: It's MUCH easier to pull the tranny than to pull the engine. I've done an R&R in a friends driveway, while traveling, in 3 hours, complete with R&R of all clutch parts and flywheel (to change the aforementioned seal). If the problem turns out to be one of the plugs, you may want to enlist competent help to fix it. The normal repair is to thread the hole and install a threaded plug - a tricky bit of work since it involves the possibility of getting bits of metal in the oil passages, or almost as bad, making a mess of the threads. Anyway, lets not jump the gun - first find out as near as you can where the oil's coming from...

Coby Smolens Valley Wagonworks VW Bus and Vanagon Specialists "Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"

1535 SF Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, CA 94960 415-457-5628

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf Of Kevin Hayden Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2001 9:23 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: oil leak update

Hi All ! I have a 1985 1.9 ,4 speed vanagon that is pouring out oil at a very rapid pace!!! I started up my van today and ran it for about 5 minutes or so and noticed that the oil light came flashing on. When I checked the oil level, It was down almost 4 quarts!! My mechanic is on vacation for the next week or so. Meanwhile, a gentleman wrote to me and asked me if my flywheel had an o-ring on it.I won't know until the motor is removed for it's third time! Can anybody tell me the correct way to install the shims,seal, o-ring,flywheel,etc. so my mechanic(or future mechanic) can get my vanagon back on the road again? ps. I do not own a Bentley....nor does my mechanic. Thanks for all of your time!

Kevin


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