Date:         Thu, 29 Jun 95 12:31 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Harvey                         <CNETSAH@mvs.oac.ucla.edu>
Subject:      Thought my Engine was a gonner!

Tell me if this doesn't raise fear -

On monday I took my 'falia to my mechanic for the 3K oil
change.  I drive home monday evening approx. 8 miles.
Drive to the carpool place Tues. morning approx. 10 miles.
Tues evening I'm driving home approx 2 miles and I'm stopped at
a light and smell something buring.  So I say to myself 'I sure
hope that's not my car'.  Light turns green I go and the burning
smell is worse now - it smells like it's coming from the inside now.
So I look out in my rear view mirror and what do I see? Nothing but
smoke!  First thought was my engine was on fire.  Then I remembered
the oil change and figured that oil must be pouring out onto the
engine.  So I coast into a track of homes and turn off the engine.
All this happend in about 15-20 seconds in the space of about 100
yards.  So I get it towed to my mechanic and he finds that the oil
filter seal was bad (and I have about 1 quart left in the engine/
filter).  He says that seals fail about 1 in 500.  Does this sound
right?  Now I pretty much trust this guy and I've been going to him
for seven years now.  Or was this a case of someone not paying
attention and perhaps crimping the seal to tight? not on straight?
All's o.k. now.  He replaced the filter and added oil and off I went.
But when I saw that smoke so much was going through my mind and I was
just waiting for the engine to seize.

-Scott.
'81 'failia