Date:         Tue, 9 Aug 1994 19:50:54 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         H Steven Dolan <dworkin@netcom.com>
Subject:      Re: 79 bus


> i am new to the air cooled world (have a 82 scirocco, it has been a 
> very mixed reltationship) i plan on buying a bus.  so the other day 
> i drove a 79 at it drove great, had plenty of power.  my only 
> concerns were two: one that there was a smell, the engine, when the 
> heater was turned on, two there was a slight ( a few drops) amount 
> of oil leaking from were i presume the two heads are.  how serious 
> are these two things?


As Joel said, the leak is almost certainly push rod tube seals.  I own a 
'78 and they are a constant pain.  Per a previous Q/A (from Joel) they 
can be fixed easily, but (sorry Joel) not permanently.  After two tries, 
I got all but one to seal.  That lasted a month, but now the van is 
spotting on both sides again.  I figure, like a any pet, it needs to mark 
its turf.  The problem is that the oil drips from the head, thru the heat 
exchangers, to the ground, oiling the heater boxes substantially. On the 
one hand, the heater smells of oil for 5 min. when you turn it on, on the 
other, they never rust out (seasoned like a frying pan).  The only fly in an 
otherwise perfectly satisfactory ointment.