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Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:28 pm

Howdy all,

Here is the problem. I have this major leak, I think the only place it could be coming from is the 3 and 4 cylinders where they connect at the case. Seeing the amount of oil on the back of the truck and ground shows it is coming off the left side of the engine. I had to replace a head a while back and that is when the problems started. I have taken the engine out a few times and checked to make sure it was not the push rod tubes and they were sealed up tight. Is there anything out there that I can use that might solve this leak, I have tried Permatex and that is a no go. I would prefer not to use RTV and was just curious if there was something better to use. Curil does not do it either.
Ummm, also what is the best way to re-thread the gen. stand studs...I have a leak there too but it is not a major one, just the top side getting sprayed...stud pulled itself out.

Engine, if this helps, is a 1600 with Dual 36mm Dells. The cylinders were put back in with the paper gaskets.

Thanks.

Jax

Sat Feb 14, 2004 4:25 pm

IMO it could be that you used the paper gaskets... is the head still tight? I.E. is it still torqued? did you go back and check the torque within 3-500 miles after re installing it?

do you hear any "head pop" when you accel hard or start it up cold in the AM? do you hear any hissing or wheezing if you disconnect the coil wire and have a helper crank the engine while you slide under it and listen close?

Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:11 pm

I agree, it could be the paper. But do you guys think it could be the oil pressure relief valve? Just a guess.

Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:15 pm

well, I was at first thinking he was talking about an oil leak.... but then it sounds like a blowby head leak which would cause some oil to be lost too.

I was going to say( if it is just an oil leak complaint) a cracked case in that area or oil cooler seals but until Jax posts again to give some more info, I just asked some things to get some ideas flowing.

Sat Feb 14, 2004 9:27 pm

I had the metal gaskets in prior and still no luck there, I could get more of those if needed. I have done all inspections possible. The engine runs fantastic, it just pisses oil. As for the 3-500 mile retorque, it has not gotten that far, it got 10 miles and was still pissing, it has been about 100 now and it only gets worse...doing about 3 quarts of oil in about 40 miles right now. Now, the only time the problems started was when I replaced the head, I guess I should have used new metal gaskets...my bad there, I can fix that. I just did not know if there was something else I may have done wrong.

Thanks.

Jax

Sat Feb 14, 2004 10:55 pm

You know if it is pissing that much oil, you could almost have it in idle and look under the motor to see where it is "moving around" as I call it. I have a leak in my oil filter mount and you can see the oil sweral (spelling) around. But if you have your motor coated in oil, I think there is this stuff that you put in your oil that reacts to UV light. Where you see the "glow", that is the area where your oil is leaking. BUT you have to put this stuff in and look as soon as passable or else your motor will coated with this stuff as well. Best of luck

Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:16 pm

well if it runs strong and you only have that many miles, I'm thinking...

pin hole, crack or something in a pushrod tube... ( that is why it does not appear to be leaking from the seals?)

a cracked case in the area of the #3 cylinder ( more common than you think!)

or oil cooler seals or cooler leak.

do you have a doghouse set up? 4 seals to leak there or a hole may have opened up in the cooler or it got a hole poked in it re fitting the fan housing/tin?

UV die would do the trick... clean it off real well and dusting the area with baby powder is another trick....

I don't see how it could run so well and be leaking 3 qts out around the cylinders in 100 mi.

Sun Feb 15, 2004 2:34 am

i would pull the motor and clean it real good. after that i would pull the tins and bench fire it. if you run it for a minute you wont hurt it and you'll definetely find the problem...i had a huge oil leak once and it was after i pulled the motor to do something and i fond from all the moving and jarring aroud the oil cooler started to leak from around the lil orings. oil was everywhere because the fan was blowin it around.

Sun Feb 15, 2004 2:40 am

Well, as for the push rod tubes, this is the 3rd new set that I have put in. The oil cooler is the 2nd one and as far as I can tell, it is dry as can be on the outside, and is not leaking from there, with the doghouse setup. Ummm, head is torqued down to proper specs, or as close as I can get to it. As for bench testing, I am unable to do that since I am a broke soul and don't know anyone that could help me there...sucks to be me. The uv trick I might have to try, as well as the baby powder...next time I am at my moms house playing out on the street (live in apartment and the managers are not happy about me working on my truck there. Why not do it on a busy street instead, heh.)

Only other ideas I had, my roomy said he would talk to Rimco monday morning to see what they can say as well, otherwise I may just go with a heap of black RTV and I REALLY don't want to do that. Guess I will let you all know what happens when I know more, only been working on it for 34 months now...

Jax

Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:25 am

A heap of black RTV??? but, Jax... where are you going to put it?
under the cylinders???
If you say the tubes are good and your positive the cooler/ seal are not leaking then my bet is you have a cracked case...

or do you have your crankcase vented properly?

it would be worth checking the cooler seals again though.

and using castrol super clean or other really good dergreaser and getting it clean then using the baby powder ( dust that bitch, it rinses off easy) will show you the leak... sounds wierd but that trick finds hard to spot leaks!

Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:43 pm

Keifer, I will do the powder trick, the next time we see dry weather here in Orygun, so like July or August, ha ha.

Will hold off on the rtv...I REALLY don't want it to get down to that. I only know that the guy who built the engine was stoned out of his gourd so that would explain a good portion of it.. Plus I will never buy anything from that shop again...building mine next time..if I can ever make enough money to but the parts.

Will know more when I do the tests.

Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:45 pm

By the way, how do you check for correct venting on the crankcase?

Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:55 am

Does it have the stock oil filler on the gen/alt stand? it has an outlet/ hose goes over to the carb/air cleaner to burn crankcase fumes...

of if it has an aftermarket one and no fitting now way of venting same thing will occur.

if it is "blocked off" the case will not vent and pressure will cause subsequent oil leaks ( like around the crank pulley, fuel pump base, valve covers... the path of least resistance....

But I will admit, I have never seen poor venting leak that much oil in such a short time.

I hope you get some workable weather soon, or can wash it down and not drive it...put a fan or light bulb near it for a few hours to dry off the moisture... powder it's ass and find that damn leak! :x

Tue Feb 17, 2004 1:34 pm

As for the alt stand, it is stock. I have an aftermarket filler on it with the breather and I have it actually dumping behind the #1 cylinder toward the ground. I do get a lot of oil out of it...well not a lot but noticeable, drip here drip there. It was nice this weekend but I was not able to, so I guess we shall see the next nice day eventually. Will just drive it carefully, like I have been the last few months between engine pulls. Will see what the weatherman is wrong about tonight, heh.

Jax

Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:41 pm

Ok, been a little while and one dry day...or 2 rather. I spent 19 hours on everything I could fix. Resealed the cylinders, helicoiled 2 stripped studs: oil cooler 8mm and rear drivers side gen stand 8mm stud, new seals on gen. stand, push rod tubes, valve covers and oil cooler. Started up the truck and within 30 seconds on a cold engine and cold oil, I already had a profoundly bad leak out the left side, looks to be coming out of the oil cooler or stand, that area. I am going to try using my upright cooler and see if that solves anything since nothing else it doing it. The cooler in it right now is new but for some reason even though it is completely dry on the outside, I still have a leak from that side. Or maybe I should just pull the engine, take off the doghouse and put the engine back in and see if I can see where the leak is coming from. Sorry thinking while typing. Otherwise the only other idea I would have is the other cooler or a new engine.

Thu Mar 04, 2004 8:49 pm

Sounds like your case is cracked at the oil cooler base very common in old vw case's

Fri Mar 05, 2004 12:52 am

It is not an old case, just a Mexican case...not that means anything better. I have inspeced the case yet again and no cracks that I can see. The engine is leaking at the oil cooler, or that area. The oil cooler is dry, but the adapter seems to either be warped or just refuses to seal. Will prolly have to get a new adapter and the only one I can get my hands on is one from CB, so I suppose we shall see how it goes.

Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:52 am

I would double check the oil cooler seals. There are a couple different sizes and types and they can be installed upside down and over-torqued. Do you have the Tom Wilson How to Rebuild Your VW Air-Cooled Engine? I know the oil cooler seal types are covered very well in that manual, scan the entire book because the info and pictures are in a couple places. If you cannot afford to buy the book, you can read it at Boarders Bookstore and determine if you did something wrong. Good luck, I feel for you.