Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:37:49 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Was: Oil.Where's it go? Now: Sheesh! It goes into the coolant,
as of this evening.....
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In pursuit of some available performance , I fiddled around with my
inline ABA/8 valve motor's venting system this morning, doing a preliminary
plumbing job to include an air/oil catch tank. The PCV valve is not
supposed to be needed for functionality, and mine was 'cludged' into place
by the whoever swapped in this motor...me... So I put in a temporary hose
to the outside from the outlet in the valve cover where the PCV valve
usually sits.... I plugged up the hole into the intake and went off for a
test spin.....Wanting to make sure everything worked as normal, and because
it was a beautiful fall day here in the Columbia River Gorge...
So, 100 or so miles, van running beautifully. Oil pressure: Normal at
about 60psi @ 3000rpm... Oil temp: Normal at about 185f. Coolant temp:
Normal I felt slightly more power, without the blowby being induced into
the intake.. Funny how motors always run best just before they blow.....
So I swing up my road towards home and notice the oil pressure needle
swinging as I corner....I'd just stopped to check the oil level about 20
miles back, checking on my breather system modification, making sure all
was well, no oil on the tailgate, etc etc....I scan-check all the
gauges...Normal...Keep going, uphill,...4th gear hill...Up my driveway and
back into my shop.....to again double check on everything I'd done in the
morning and order a catch can system.....
I notice some spots....Milky orange oily coolant...."Uh Oh!" says
I...I've been expecting this for about 50k miles, at least..I have
personally put over 100k on the head I have on a unknown mileage $300
Craig's List ABA jetta block..and I've been getting "hints"....an
occasional whiff of "old car" smell out the exhaust pipe...slight increase
over time in oil consumption....
I opened the lid...nothing strange...but the drips are definite "milk"
I open the expansion overflow tank....Orange Goo spews out! "Dang" I
go... So I release the Blue Cap....More Orange Goo....Then I check the
dipstick.....No oil showing.....I think it all went into the coolant........
Isn't it funny how vehicles always seem to be working so extra special
well before they blow up...
So now it seems like I'll be chasing down another cheapo ABA for another
couple hundred thousand miles of fun stuff....but first...a goldarned
engine swap....not what I had planned for right now...but if all goes
without hitch...shouldn't be much.
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