Date:         Fri, 2 Aug 2002 12:39:48 -0400
Reply-To:     Tom Corbitt <tcorbitt@MCNC.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Corbitt <tcorbitt@MCNC.ORG>
Subject:      pushrod leak question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

The other day someone was too busy talking on their cell phone to notice
my vanagon, and I was rear-ended. The bumper and end caps are history,
and I seem to have developed a leak at/around my left front pushrod
tube. It doesn't seem to leak while I'm driving, but as soon as I shut
the engine off, oils starts dripping/running out of the first tube on
the drivers side. It continues to leak for a while after the engine is
shut off, and the force is controlled by the amount of oil in the engine
(if I try to fill it to the full mark on the stick, it will quickly leak
(over a day or two) out until it's at the add mark on the dipstick, then
it's back to 10-50 drips per run. I've also discovered that the position
on the van seems to impact the strength of the leak.  Is this kind of
behavior consistent with just a push rod tube leak, or is it possibly
something deeper in the head?

I looked in the archives for insight into how hard a job this might be,
and I have the bently, but I'm still scratching my head. Could one
normally be expected to stop such a leak by replacing the push rod seals
and tubes without pulling off the head (i know I'd need to buy the
collapsible tubes)?

I'm probably going to take it to a local vw garage to have them look it
over for other trauma and maybe have them get into it due to the fact
that the others drivers insurance is responsible and is paying for it,
but I'd like to have an idea of what's involved. Part of why I got the
van is because I wanted to work on it.

thanks in advance,

tom corbitt

83.5 Vanagon
In muggy Raleigh, NC