Date:         Fri, 6 Oct 1995 15:04:57 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         michaelk@uscyber.com (Michael Ketterhagen)
Subject:      74 bus oil leaking/burning (longish)

I recently (early August) purchased a 74 bus for $500. It seemed to be a
pretty good deal because a) it ran, and b) it had relatively little rust on
it (some major dents on both sides, though). I did not check the engine
compression, however (o.k., strike one). I figured for $500, if I could get
it home, I could drop a new engine in it, etc., and still not be out too
much cash. Some one had replaced the stock carbs with some Webers (I'm not
sure which model). The guy I bought it from had good maintenance records
through the end of 1993, but nothing later than early 1994. I don't think
it had been worked on since then.

I got a copy of the Idiot's Guide and did the valve adjustment (and finally
got it right), replaced the valve cover gaskets, and changed the oil filter
and screen. I also put a quart of Duralube in it (Steeerike two!!!, maybe).
When I was adjusting the valves, I noticed that the exhaust valve in
cylinder three was stuck. No adjusting could allow even the smallest feeler
gauge to fit. After a minor timing adjustment, new Bosch plugs (except for
cylinder 3, in which the spark plug hole had been drilled out so that the
spark plug needed to have a larger diameter to fit [I regapped the old one
and put it back in]), the engine sounded good and started up better and ran
better than it had since I bought it (it had more power and didn't stall
out at stop signs). I also noticed a little fuel-air mixture reversion in
the carburetor barrel for cylinder 3.

So, you might ask, what's the problem? I have developed a massive oil leak.
Suddenly the engine is both burning oil (grayish smoke, greasy residue) and
leaking it (I actually leave a trail). When the bus is parked after
driving, it leaves two puddles of oil under it, each more or less centered
under the pistons. It's hard to see exactly where the oil is leaking from,
but it's both leaking and burning oil. I haven't driven it since noticing
this problem.

This is my first VW. Once I do something mechanical, I can do it well, but
I don't have the instincts and experience yet to make observations and
discern what's wrong.

Questions:
1. Could the Duralube have anything to do with the oil leaking and burning?
I have read some disparaging remarks about Slick 50 here without
explanation of the negativity. The guy who writes the "Drive Your Car
Forever" column recently wrote that the internal engine cleaner/ Duralube
regimen is one of the worst things one can do to an engine. I did not use
the internal engine cleaner, by the way.
2. If I pull the engine and overhaul it, replace the cylinders and pistons,
put in a new gasket set, and put on new cylinder heads, should this solve
the problem? If not, what do I need to look for as I overhaul the engine?
Do I even need to overhaul the engine?
3. Can I put in a larger stock-type engine (1800 or 2000)? Maybe I could
buy a bus (76-80) with a decent engine and a rotted body and make the
switch?

I'm sorry if these questions are stupid, but I'm still learning. I am,
however, committed to the bus and the air-cooled VW ethos. We even plan on
buying a bug in the next few years.

Please preface the subject of any responses with the letters "ds", as I am
temporarily using the E-mail account of a friend, as my Internet provider
gets its act together and signs up my account.

                                        Thanks for your consideration,

                                        David Schimpf (ds)