Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 07:22:22 EST
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Puking Oil from Oil Cooler
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 26/01/2007 5:54:25 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
Today, the temp here on the seacoast of SE Massachusetts has been in
the teens, actually this am it was zero!
I went to take my 87 Westy out for a little drive this afternoon, and
as I pulled out of the parking spot, I noticed a large puddle of oil
where the van was parked. I crawled under the engine and noticed that
the oil was coming out of from between the oil cooler and the engine block.
Last night, when it was 25 degrees out, I drove the van and it didn't
puke oil. I'm assuming its because of the frigid temperatures.
I'm not sure what the exact problem is, but here's a potential list:
1. Oil too thick - it currently has 10w-50 Castrol synthetic in it
2. O ring between the block and the oil cooler has become "stiff"
from the cold and not sealing properly
3. It has a Fram filter...somewhere I recall a post a number of years
ago about VW and Mann filters having a pressure release spring inside
to aid in cold starting...
4. The problem is all of the above.
Does anyone recall the discussion about non-VW filters and pressure
relief springs??
I'm tossing the idea of dumping the 10-50 and putting in 10-30 for now....
Any suggestions, comments, etc?
Comments ? YES, check the archives. This question has appeared here every
year when it gets cold that I've been on the list, and I've been here since
the beginning ! It's the O-ring between the oil cooler and block ! It gets
cold, the 0-ring shrinks, the nut on the oil cooler has not been checked for
proper torque when changing your oil filter, you start the engine and oil
spews out ! Sometimes it's not noticed and the engine blows up ! Time for a new
0-ring and put memo on your dash to check the nut when you change your oil
filter.
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
for sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007