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
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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