Date:         Tue, 27 Sep 1994 18:40:09 -0600 (MDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         DZIADECKI JOHN <dziadeck@spot.colorado.edu>
Subject:      massive oil leak (77 camper)

Last Wednesday evening it was cold and snowing. I had just started on my 
way home when I noticed the oil light was staying on. I pulled over and 
checked the oil level, about a quarter inch showed on the dip stick. I 
poured in two quarts and while pouring in I looked underneath. To my 
utter dismay there were about three thin honey gold streams of oil 
flowing out. I set course for my mechanic's garage. A few stops and six 
quarts later I parked in the lot, wrote a note and left the key in the 
overnight slot.

He called back this afternoon (busy fellow, booked solid, but I trust him 
so what can I say). He said the sump plug had come out. Furthermore he 
said that plug never comes out. He added older engines tend to run hotter 
(mine's at 176K) and maybe the hot/cold cycle caused it to come loose. 
Anyway, he had a sump plug in the shop which he epoxied into place. 
Tomorrow the oil goes back in and I hope to be back on the road.

What I'd like to know is what could I have done had I been out in the 
middle of nowhere without a spare sump plug and a tube of epoxy. Has this 
happened to any of you? What sort of emergency repairs have you done when 
you're out on the road? What is a could repair for a novice who really 
doesn't know much about repairs?

John
dziadeck@spot.colorado.edu