Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 18:18:38 -0400
Reply-To: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Mystery oil leak on 2.1 please help with ideas
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Doug
freeway driving is when you see the most crank case pressure so that's when
the oil is forced out of any possible opening but with a new engine you
should avoid the freeway for the first bunch of miles to avoid damage to the
rings.
wash it up and see there the oil leaks from without driving it the wind
moves the oil every place raise the idle if need be.
I have found that new pumps and cover are often not flat and aviation
formagasket wont cure that.
the self sealing nuts for the oil pump loose there torque rather
quickly when the plastic heats up and softens up I never use them. what
sucks is that you cant get at the cover nuts when the engine is in place and
its many hours to access the dam cover .
the other spots are the dip stick tube where it sits into the case you had
a green oring in the gasket set for this and a little silicone would be a
nice touch in the same spot. Its almost impossible to see the old gasket is
still in the case. The pulley seal is a common leaker did you scotch bright
the seal surface on the pulley to get rid of the build up of varnish and
crud and did you go to the dealer and get the oring for the crank pulley
that does not come with the gasket set. The front pulley needs to be torqued
to 252 pds or it comes loose and could be leaking. there is a plug in the
front of the case its pressed in and can leak I put a bead of silicone
around the edge as im prepping the case. I use a scratch brush to prep the
sealing surfaces of the case half's and run a file over the surface to check
for burrs. case prepping can take most of a day.
Then I install the oil pump I use a bead of silicone on the inner pump
flange after I install the gasket on the pump before I install the pump into
the case. I throw the gasket away that comes with the gasket set for the oil
pump cover. The reason I do this is that although it has the same part # as
the type one gasket it measures .006ths rather than .004ths as the type one
gasket does. the distance of the cover to the pump gears helps determines
the oil pressure warm. the thicker the gasket the lower the pressure. to
seal the outer cover I draw the thinnest bead possible of silicone on the
outer edge of the oil pump cover gasket with it sitting on the cover itself
as a palate. next I flip the gasket into its final resting place on the
cover with a razor blade and coat the second side of the gasket again with
the thinnest bead around the outer edge of the gasket. I try to avoid
getting any silicone into the pump or gears once the cover is installed onto
the pump I draw a bead of silicone around the studs and with a wave washer
and a new 8 mm nuts I bring the cover tight onto the pump in a criss cross
fashion this spreads the pressure over the pump cover and drives the pump
the rest of the way into the case I don't use a torque wrench but Im sure it
most of 20 pounds when Im done tightening the 4 nuts
good luck
at a parts store you get only parts
at Boston Engine you can ge the rest
going faster miles an hour with the radio on
I remain
Bob Donalds
http://www.bostonengine.com
all rights reserved
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug in Calif" <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 2:12 PM
Subject: Mystery oil leak on 2.1 please help with ideas
Well, my brand newly rebuilt 89 2.1 has developed a mysterious oil leak at
the rear cross member.
I have looked at it closely to try to determine where it is coming from.
The oil seems to drip down between the cross member and the aluminum casting
that is bolted to the rear of the case.
I am thinking the oil pump may be leaking for some reason?.
I used a new pump, gaskets, and red sealing nuts and its properly torqued.
I also used aviation permatex on both sides of the gasket behind the oil
pump and the between the cover and pump.
Any other places it could be?
Dip stick is not leaking,
Oil filler tube is not leaking.
Cant really see directly under the pulley but the back of the pulley is dry,
I used a new seal
There seems to be a fair amount leaking
10 mins on the freeway will produce several droplets all along the bottom of
the cross member and aluminum casting.
Thoughts?
common culprits?
I have built several hundred air cooled engines and never had a leak here.
Thanks,
Doug
