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Date:         Wed, 2 Dec 1998 23:18:46 EST
Reply-To:     Noganav@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Martin <Noganav@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Oil leak between engine and tranny
Comments: To: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Just as the weather turns wet in the Northwest my '87 Syncro develops a major oil leak! It is coming out of the slot on the bottom side of the drivetrain between the engine and transmission (the slot has a rubber plug in it). The case half bolts are tight so my best guess is the crankshaft oil seal is the culprit. Any other opinions??

More info for consideration: The engine and body have 175K on them, heads were done at 135K, tranny was rebuilt at 167K with new cluch assembly at the same time. I've also gone through he rest of the van since I bought it, water pump, radiator, coolant hoses, steering rack, shocks, struts, battery, tires (twice). I don't do much off roading, it really has had a tame life since I've owned it. However, there was a incident in Yellowstone in October that may come under "rough service". I tried to do a three point turn on a dark, narrow section of road and when I backed up I misjudged and went too far. Both rear wheels dropped off the road into the drainage ditch and my headlights were pointing skyward. I was sure I was stuck so I got out to have a look. My rear tires were 1/2 covered in muck and the skid bar frame was resting firmly on the edge of the pavement keeping the van from falling deeper in the muck. I poked around the muck behind the van with a stick.....nothing but muck. It was dark and lonely out there so I decided to see what the Syncro could do for itself. First, I locked the rear differential (the light came on at a stand still!). Then I tried reving the engine and leting the clutch out slowly. Stalled it. Tried it again. Stalled again. Next I reved the engine real high and half slipped, half dumped the clutch. The van lifted itself up about 1/2 way up and almost climbed out, but it almost stalled again so I had to push the clutch back in and we rolled back into the ditch. Finally, I reved the engine real real high and dumped the clutch HARD! The van popped out of the ditch so fast I almost drove the into the opposite ditch! No visable damage except deep gouges in my skid bars. Could this incident have stressed my oil seal out?

Thanks one and all,

Andrew


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