Date:         Tue, 1 Aug 1995 16:11:31 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         BBTSQP8@BAPLAZA.BELL-ATL.COM
Subject:      Re: Oil Splatters in Engine Compartment


     Thom says:
     When I got home from work yesterday, I noticed the bus was dripping
     oil, so I opened the engine lid to find oil splattered all over the
     back (FIF) part of the engine compartment! It was concentrated around
     the crank pulley area.

     Anyway, I cleaned up the mess, and took it for a another drive, and
     didn't see any more oil.

     Can this be caused by over-revving?  It was hot yesterdday, I was
     really cookin' down 80 (I actually passed a bunch of cars!)

     ----------------------------------------------------------------
     I had experienced a similar problem on a '66 Bug that I owned about 10
     years ago. If I went for a drive on the Interstate (75mph avg), so
     much oil would come out around the pulley, that you could see it
     running down the rear apron in streams.

     The major part of the problem was self-inflicted. I had installed one
     of those way cool sano bitchin aluminium degree pulleys to make timing
     easier, etc. It was one of the $19.95 Taiwan models. Turns out the
     grooves machined into the hub of the pulley were not deep enough to
     function properly. Those grooves work as sort of an "Archimedes
     Screw", which tends to pump the oil back into the case. I replaced the
     pulley with a better brand, and it almost stopped the leak.

     The other part was that the vent in the oil filler pipe was clogged
     with crud. Without the vent, internal crankcase pressure built up and
     had to escape somewhere. Out around the pulley, of course! The fumes
     carried oil droplets out with it, and they condensed all over the
     engine compartment. I cleared the vent, and the problem was cured.

     I might also mention that a engine with worn piston rings that were
     allowing a lot of blow-by may cause the same problems. Checked your
     compression lately?

     Tom Carrington
     BBTSQP8@bell-atl.com
     88 Vanagon
     65 Notchback