Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:37:46 -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: oil leak on 1984 1.9
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my thoughts ..
for one use a red german rear main seal. ( or red lipped )
the black ones get hard and brittle after a while.
I would be suspicious it's 'more' than just the rear main seal or how it was
installed.
things that come to my mind ...high crankcase pressure from being a
well-worn engine.
As a test, try running it with the dipstick pulled up an inch ..
if relieving the crankcase pressure like that makes the RMS stop leaking ..
you've found 'why.'
Too large main bearing oil clearance comes to mind.
Besides checking end play ..
a very crude test is to see how far left-right you can move the flywheel (
engine and trans have to be separated of course ) .
It shouldn't move at all.
Being an opposed four the forces are left-right there ..
it was an air-cooled, but I have seen a flywheel move sideways nearly an
eight inch ( ok, maybe a fat 1/16th ) ..either from large oil clearance or
bearing loose in the case ..
just something to check is all...that may or may not reveal something. I'm
not sure I'd pull the engine just to wiggle on the flywheel since it's
unlikely to be bad there ..but do think about oil clearance on the main
bearing next to the flywheel.
and you're sure it's engine oil and not gear oil ?
did you ask him what he saw when he replaced the first 'bad' one ?
Like .............what would be good is he saw where he made a mistake or
something ..
or it was a cheap or faulty seal, or got damaged on installation ( sealing
surface on the crank still nice and smooth ? ) ...
like if he saw 'no reason' for the first one to leak,
and it was 'well, let's try another new one' ....
might not have been really getting to the 'real' problem, obviously.
I've not heard of any oil gallery plugs leaking on the flywheel end of the
engine, or cracked case..
but it is a vw ..anything is possible ! lol.
for the moment..I'm leaning toward too high crankcase pressure or too large
oil clearance at the main bearing there ...but I hope it's neither of those.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug" <shirewood@WILDBLUE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2010 5:04 PM
Subject: oil leak on 1984 1.9
Seeking help figuring out an oil leak.
History: Had my local mechanic [competent and ethical] pull the
transmission last year so Daryl could install a LSD for improved traction.
My mechanic replaced the rear seals at that time and put everything back
together. Six months later I notice a significant oil leak which drips down
where the engine and transmission join. I tell him about it and he says
bring it in. He drops the trany and replaces the seal.
When I pick it up he says no charge. "I was the last one in there."
Today, one month later I had to go back to the shop and tell him it has been
leaking since I got it. I asked him if he wanted me to take it to a Vanagon
mechanic. He still feels responsible but ask me to post the question to you
all if there are any suggestions as to what is going on here. I mentioned I
thought I had read on here something about high case pressure. What is the
test for that? Compression? This is a high mileage engine, but it's a
strong runner and normally doesn't use much oil. He checked the end play and
said it was ok.
Thanks
Doug E.
'84 Van-Go
'67 vw convertible Vert-i-go