Date:         Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:51:55 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         plima@indirect.com (Peter J. Lima)
Subject:      Leakin' oil

>A bigger worry is the amount of oil leaking I'm getting.  After parking at
>home, I noticed a trail of dime-sized oil spots behind the Bus showing 
where
>I had driven it, still wet.  Underneath, a spot of leakage (from last night
>and today) more than a foot square.  Is this even too much leakage for a
>Bus?  (I checked the level and it doesn't seem unusually low, but you can 
be
>sure I'll be keeping a close eye on it for a while.)

Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com writes:
>I had EXACTLY this happen to my '69 bus in Colorado, especially when
>coming to a stop at a stop sign. Turned out to be a mostly-shredded main
>oil seal (yup-- the one around the crankshaft just inside the flywheel,
>that you have to take the engine out to get to).

>On many engines, you need only replace this seal and go merrily on your
>way. But occasionally (and in my case) it's caused by the crankshaft
>moving forward and back as you press the clutch. And THAT is caused >by
thecrank's thrust bearing seat being badly worn-- usually so much so >that
youcan no longer adjust it out by shimming the flywheel as per the >normal
procedure. And THAT means that not only do you have to rebuild >the entire
engine, but you also have to shell out extra for a new crankcase, >since the
one you have is shot and can't be salvaged.

Well I certainly hope this isn't the problem w/mine (it's a '79.)  We'll
wait and see.  It's still dribbling oil like a seive though. . .I poured a
1/2 quart in while it was running and it seemed to mostly come right out
again.  Looks like the La Brea Tar Pits underneath the engine now. . .

pjl