Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:55:40 -0500
Reply-To: A J I <flavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: A J I <flavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: hidden oil leak ??
In-Reply-To: <028901c9841f$81493140$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Scott,
I have already had the drums off and examined everything to order the parts.
I have a new set of shoes and both wheel cyclinders. Everything else looks
good including the drums. A light rub with some sandpaper should do the
trick with them. While I had it apart checking I tried the drums I have from
the 79 bay and the fit perfect so I know I have a spare set of drums in
great shape if I ever need them.
I figure that about 2 hours will allow for a leisurely swap out of the parts
and leave ample time to get cleaned up to watch the game.
A J
On Sat, Jan 31, 2009 at 10:45 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> glad you found it !
> oddly..........I've never seen a leaking oil pressure switch by the crank
> pulley, on a 2.1 waterboxer......on practically hundreds of vanagons.
>
> I never work on something with a time deadline.
> I *always* always, always find 'there's more.'
> more than one expected.......to do really
> 100 % complete work that is.
> You can finish up after the superbowl if you need to anyway.
> I'll be watching 2.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "A J I" <flavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 7:29 PM
> Subject: Re: hidden oil leak ??
>
>
> UPDATE:
>> Well its been almost a month now and I have replaced the crankshaft seal
>> but
>> that didnt help. When I was replacing the water pump I had more than a few
>> listmembers tell me to replace the oil pressure unit as well. I should
>> have
>> listened!
>> That $6 part was the entire root/cause of all my problems. I replaced the
>> oil sender today and did some serious run time which in the past would
>> have
>> produced large oil puddles and considerable spray all ovet the rear gate
>> of
>> the van, nada, nothig the mysterious oil leak is gone. It was the oil
>> sending unit.
>> The weird thing is I have cleaned and really looked over the old unit that
>> was the cause and I cannot find anything at all from outward appearance
>> that
>> would make one suspect it as the cause. It looks just fine. Be assured
>> that
>> it was the cause of the oil spewing because there isnt a drop at all on or
>> near the motor even after 1/2 hour run varying to 3200 rpm in park in the
>> driveway and then a drive of about 45 minutes where I was cruising at 65
>> mph.
>> I will add that anyone that is ever replacing either the water pump or the
>> crankshaft seal should at the same time replace the oil sending unit. It
>> is
>> in expensive and really easy to do when all the parts are out of the way.
>> By
>> the way I believe that the old sending unit was the cause of the oil alarm
>> whenever I did a hard right turn. I tried a couple today on the test run
>> and
>> the van performed just fine and no oil alarm so I cured two problems with
>> the one repair.
>> I changed it out with just removing the belts but it was a bit of a hassle
>> would have been a snap when the stuff was out of the way. Thank you
>> everyone
>> for all the help and input. Tomorrow before the superbowl (Go STEELERS) I
>> am
>> going to replace the rear wheel cyclinders and shoes. The Vanagon will
>> once
>> again be right and running properly. just in time for the celebration.
>> Thanks again everyone,
>>
>> A J
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 7:56 PM, A J <flavanagon@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> OK here is the background. 1991 Vanagon GL it has 40,000 on a "crate"
>>> replacement engine. Runs great,but. About 3-4 months ago ,the first time
>>> it
>>> happened, I was driving along about 60 mph and noticed that the rear
>>> window
>>> was "filming" up and there was an occasional puff of smoke, dropped to
>>> about
>>> 50 and went straight to the driveway.
>>>
>>> The next day went out and cleand the entire bottom of the motor with carb
>>> cleaner and let it sit for a day, no drips. So went for another drive,
>>> about
>>> 5 minutes into the drive the same thing happened. This time I sprayed off
>>> the bottom while it was warm and looked for leaks, nothing.
>>>
>>> Next day I put some clean cardboard down on the drive and then did an
>>> short
>>> run through the neighborhood came back and parked on the cardboard. Most
>>> of
>>> the dripping was at the rear cross motor mount but there was some at the
>>> side by the valve cover. I replaced both vaqlve covers figuring that if
>>> they
>>> were leaking the air blowing by would deposit the oil on the crossbar and
>>> spray it on the rear deck.
>>>
>>> Another drive more oil.
>>>
>>> I cleaned it all off again and this time put down cardboard but didnt
>>> drive
>>> just ran it in place. Nothing for about 4-5 minutes then it started
>>> leaking
>>> and seemed to be coming from the motor mount. Could not see any oil from
>>> the
>>> top of the motor only from the bottom. From the top looking down it is
>>> all
>>> clean and neat looking like nothing is leaking at all so it is not being
>>> flung through the compartment by the belts.
>>>
>>> I figured that the only place that I couls not see was the probable area,
>>> the crankshaft seal. I ordered a nea seal, replaced it and went for a
>>> drive,
>>> yep in about 5 minutes it started spraying the rear of the van just like
>>> before.
>>>
>>> I cleaned it all off and let it cool off. The next day I went out with
>>> the
>>> cardboard and with it running in place and changing rpm between 2000 and
>>> 3500 it was a good five minutes before I saw it start leaking. I cant
>>> directly see it but it is leaking on to the left side of the mount and
>>> dripping off the bar, The rear of the motor is not wet and there is no
>>> oil
>>> leaking down the side. This wont leak until the motor heats up.
>>>
>>> I am wondering if it is possible for the oil cooler to leak by spraying
>>> the
>>> oil onto the mount figuring that after the motor heats up it opens the
>>> gap
>>> between the gasket or whatever, sound plausable? If I remember correctly
>>> this started after I changed the oil and installed the fram filter. I
>>> wonder if it is possible for the filter to not bypass and then create
>>> enough
>>> pressure to force the oil out?
>>>
>>> There is no oil in the cooling system so I believe the oil cooler is not
>>> leaking internally but wonder if it is possible for oil to leak out
>>> between
>>> the cooler and the block, well not leak but spray. Would it be possible
>>> to
>>> tighten the cooler to the block by removing the filter and torquing the
>>> bolts or should it be removed and a new seal installed? Or should I just
>>> consider something else because there is simply no oil at all dripping
>>> off
>>> the filter or the block just from the bar the the motor mounts to. Is it
>>> possible that the oil could be coming from the motor mounting bolts.
>>>
>>> Keep in mind that it does not drip and wount drip out until the motor
>>> reaches temp and will stop as soon as it is shut down. Any help,
>>> opinions,
>>> or guess appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> A J
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
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