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Date:         Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:19:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: New Engine Oil Leak Question
Comments: To: Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

re is this normal or do I need to have the engine crank case tighten on the bottom of the engine?

it's not normal that it leak there. be sure it's not the drain plug, or rear main seal, etc. you can try tightening the lower case half nuts .. but that sure shouldn't make any difference.. i.e. it sure should be pretty tight there in the first place.

and any 2 " puddle is unacceptable. maybe 'one drip' ..or 'barely seeps' could be considered 'almost acceptable' ..but it sure should not leak a drip. from fresh asembly .. there's no 'break in' regarding leaking. check the push rod tubes and their seals.

if it is genuinely a leak at the case split .. not a lot of choices. could try some mickey-mouse external sealing .. and splitting the cases is a huge job of course. check the oil pump .. could be leaking there, that's something you can reseal without taking the engine apart.

if it's where the case halves join .. all I can imagine is that it wasn't clean and smooth enough going together.. the parts did not mate exactly .. ..... a tiny foreign object that got in the joint or the sealant used wasn't the best .. or the surfaces weren't prepped well enoug . etc. let's hope it's not a case split leak. that would be a real bummer. that one drop near the forward end of the engine .. makes me think or rear main seal.

there are some tricks there .. at the RMS end of the crank ... maybe something was not done just perfectly there.. which would be good, since that's only remove engine or trans to access it. you might check crankshaft end play just for the fun of it ..if that was excessive that would point me to the rear main seal end of the crankshaft, those ships there.. the flywheel bolts etc. there's all a cam galley plug there .. that might be leaking .. there the choices would be some sort of exteneral sealing patch ..or split the cases.

scott www.turbovans.com

Scott www.turbovans.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Stewart" <robertmstewart@MAC.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 9:51 AM Subject: New Engine Oil Leak Question

> Hello Everyone, > > It's been a while since I have been participating in the chats here, just > not enough time..sorry. > > I have a question for the skilled rebuilders out there. > > I had my 2.1L automatic 1988 engine rebuilt last winter. It had 235,000 > Miles on it and was rebuilt once before. I replaced the heads, rods, > pistons and almost everything in it. > > I have just over 4,500 miles on it. A mix of highway and local hilly > roads. > > To break it in for the for the first 3500 miles I used Standard Dino Oil. > I changed it at 500 miles, 1000 Miles and again at 3500 Miles to remove > any metal in the engine due to the break in of all the new parts. > At first it leaked a bit then toward the end of the 3500 miles it stopped. > When I say leak, I mean I used to see a 3-4 Inch puddle under the van > every time time I drove it. Then it became a 2" puddle till it just > stopped at the end of the 3500 miles. > > Once I hit 3500, I replaced the oil and Mahle filter with Mobil1 15-50. It > leaked again, but now it was like a 2" puddle, with another 1,000 miles on > it the oil the leaks have slowed a lot, but I am still seeing some oil > pooling under the engine. I am not seeing puddle like I did before but is > this normal or do I need to have the engine crank case tighten on the > bottom of the engine? > > Here are some photos of what I am seeing. > http://gallery.me.com/rmstewart#100147 > > If you can give me your thoughts I would appreciate it. > > My thinking was that it might need a re-tightening now it's broken in a > bit. > I am just wondering if this is something I can do myself? > If so, how? It appears to just use a bolt over some special screw. > > Thanks for help! > > Hope are all having a nice cool summer. > > All the best, > Robert > Bloomingburg, NY


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