Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 19:13:34 -0400
Reply-To: Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Overfilling the oil issues
In-Reply-To: <BANLkTik27ActEDiUUi5uTDez438oK7V6_Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Thanks Ed the thoughts.
Yes what you are explaining the Governor Cover is where I see a lot of tranny fluid and it's slowly leaking downward. I assume to repair this I need to drain all the fluid out and then pop that off to add a new O Ring seal?
I have been looking at the samba for over an hour, seems like a lot people have this rear main seal issue. I am not even sure that is where the oil is coming from but it's clearly leaking from above the engine and flowing down the backside of the engine casing. Could it be a oil sensor that has gone bad and is now leaking?
Rob
On May 24, 2011, at 2:37 PM, Edward Maglott wrote:
> That place on the tranny is the governor cover. Round cap with metal band
> holding it. I believe there is also a vent directly above that on top of
> the transmission. It is a nubbin with a loose fitting but attached cap on
> it. Sometimes that will get clogged and not properly vent air out of the
> tranny and cause fluid to be forced our elsewhere. I wouldn't worry about a
> little leaking at the governor cover, unless it is a symptom of larger
> issue. Also that O-ring is pretty easy to replace with the tranny in the
> van.
>
> Assuming it is definitely engine oil coming from the area of joining with
> the transmission, the rear main seal is the only thing I can think of. I
> suppose with the overfilled situation, pressure might have damaged that but
> it seems odd that that would be the weakest point, as others more
> knowledgeable than I have pointed out.
>
> Yes mine has made me want to pull my hair too.
>
> Edward
>
> On Tue, May 24, 2011 at 1:54 PM, Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@mac.com>wrote:
>
>> Follow up:
>>
>> So now it's 3 days later and I checked the oil and it's now halfway on the
>> stick. I went get the oil changed and I looked under the van. The oil
>> changing mechnanic called me down to look at it. The oil is coming from
>> where the tranny connects to the engine. It's leaking from above and
>> dripping down. Ideas what this could be?
>>
>> He also told me my auto tranny is leaking from above the axels, where there
>> is a circular cap and some metal bands that look like they are pressing in
>> on the circular cap. Any idea what this is and why it might be leaking from
>> there? I had my tranny rebuilt 5 years ago, installed a cooler 1 year ago
>> and never had a leak till now.
>>
>> Thanks for any thoughts.
>>
>> I am feel like pulling my hair out after this whole ordeal. Tranny Rebuild,
>> Engine Rebuild, Coolant Hoses Breaking and Replacing, It's never Ending!
>>
>> Robert
>> NY
>>
>> On May 22, 2011, at 7:41 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>>
>>> I would get the level down to between the marks right away.
>>> Too high oil level can cause long term shortening of engine life.
>>> there may not be any immediate symptoms...
>>> but too high oil can sure shorten engine life.
>>>
>>> maybe it was the drain plug ..and
>>> a new engine shouldn't use a drop of oil for a long, long time.
>>> As engines go ...
>>> waterboxers are generally quite good about not using oil much at all.
>>>
>>> Scott
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Robert Stewart" <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 4:15 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Overfilling the oil issues
>>>
>>>
>>>> All these locations you are specifying... are any of them located on the
>>>> rear of the engine that it might leak out from the area near the
>>>> connection of the engine and the auto transmission?
>>>>
>>>> No I don't need to top off the oil frequently but I did notice that last
>>>> time I had the oil checked they never tightened the bolt and it did leak
>>>> some oil for a while till I realized it was the bolt.
>>>>
>>>> Agreed the final vent could be the crankcase but since I just did this
>>>> slight overfill I doubt it will explode any time soon.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On May 22, 2011, at 7:06 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> The only place that extra oil is normally vented out is the crankcase
>>>>> breather. This is due to the extra churning and aeration. That extra
>> oil
>>>>> going through the engine also damages the catalyst and o2 sensor. If
>>>>> really
>>>>> overfilled and kept at high speed long enough the next vent is the
>>>>> crankshaft seals. Also the extra oil makes for a lot of extra heat and
>>>>> can
>>>>> actually thin the oil enough for the oil pressure to drop. The final
>> vent
>>>>> can be at the top of the case when a rod comes through.
>>>>>
>>>>> If you need to regularly add oil you need to ask why? Especially on a
>>>>> fairly
>>>>> new engine. When checking oil it is imperative that the van be level
>> both
>>>>> front/rear and side to side. Note the full mark is already too high and
>>>>> these engines tend to burn off the excess. Anything above the lower
>> mark
>>>>> is
>>>>> plenty. When they get just below that mark I add a 1/2 quart.
>>>>>
>>>>> Dennis
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>> Behalf
>>>>> Of
>>>>> Robert Stewart
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 5:58 PM
>>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>>> Subject: Overfilling the oil issues
>>>>>
>>>>> I recently did a 4 hour drive in the rain the other day in stop and go
>>>>> traffic and when I got home I checked the oil to see it was down just
>>>>> below
>>>>> the lower dip stick marker. So I filled it up but added to much and
>> when
>>>>> I
>>>>> checked it was at the very top of TOP of the dipsticks marker.
>>>>>
>>>>> I drove it for about 30 minutes and when I returned I parked the van on
>> a
>>>>> slight hill facing downward.
>>>>>
>>>>> Today I came back to van to see that there is now a small puddle
>> outside
>>>>> under the engine between the engine and where the automatic
>> transmission
>>>>> connects to the engine.
>>>>>
>>>>> Did the van just vent out the extra oil?
>>>>>
>>>>> Did parking on the downward hill drain the extra oil out?
>>>>>
>>>>> Or do I have a seal broken somewhere?
>>>>>
>>>>> Please note: The van's engine is only a year fresh from a rebuild with
>>>>> only
>>>>> 5,000 miles on it. Mostly local backroads driving of no more than an
>>>>> hour.
>>>>> I only have made 4 long drives with the van since the rebuild no more
>>>>> than 3
>>>>> hours per drive. Oil has always been changed with Mobil 1 - 15-50, with
>>>>> Mann
>>>>> Filters. I have an external oil cooler and tranny cooler on the van
>> which
>>>>> is
>>>>> an 88 automatic Wolfsburg edition that had all new rubber hoses
>> installed
>>>>> at
>>>>> the time of the engine rebuild.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone have any ideas?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Robert
>>>>> Bloomingburg NY
>>>>>
>>
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