Date:         Wed, 5 Aug 1998 12:45:40 -0500
Reply-To:     Ken Korn <kkorn@JUMP.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Ken Korn <kkorn@JUMP.NET>
Subject:      Re: Stop Leak for minor oil leaks?
Comments: To: "Joe L." <jliasse@EMAIL.MSN.COM>,
          "Vanagon@VANAGON.COM" <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The '82 Westy I just bought was leaking some oil as well. BTW this is a 2.0
aircooled. IMO any oil leak needs to be diagnosed and repaired. In my case,
it is oil cooler seals, which are getting worse and causing overheating as
well as drips on my driveway. Oil stop leak products are only a bandaid.

I was told that the engine had to come out in order to replace the seals and
check the oil cooler (mechanic estimated 7 hours @$50/hr). I'm happy to say
that it can be done without dropping the engine. I removed the exhaust
system, then the tin around the rear of the engine, the alternator, the
cooling fan, then the cooling fan housing. Now the oil cooler is exposed
completely and I'll be replacing it and the seals this afternoon.

The top of the oil cooler, where the cooling air enters, was half plugged up
with dirt and oily crud. No wonder it was running hot!

Ken Korn
74 914 2.0
75 914 1.8
82 Westfalia Camper
Austin, TX

On Wednesday, August 05, 1998 11:18 AM, Joe L. [SMTP:jliasse@EMAIL.MSN.COM]
wrote:
>    For some 3 years now I have had a minor oil leak (a drip, actually)
> coming from places unknown. Having watched it for this long and seen
> neither
> an increase nor any ill effects it does not seem serious enough to spend
> the
> time and cash it would take to fix. It IS, however screwing up my driveway
> and I am tired of scrubbing the drips off.
>
>    Can anyone recommend one of the many "Oil Stop Leaks" on the market? I
> hesitate to use any substance designed to plug an oil passage as I may end
> up with clogged journals but this just may be paranoia on my part.
>
> Any Ideas?