| Author |
Message |
zippyslug31
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2007
Posts: 799
Location: Central Oregon
|
 Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:56 am Post subject: oil leaks |
 |
|
Have a rebuilt 2.1 WBX with approaching 50k miles on it. First 25k was "spot free" and always looked new, but have been noticing lately that it's getting more and more drippy. Not to the point of having to top off the oil but the 10" black circles in the driveway aren't making the wife happy.
Also noticing that the sheen is allowing dirt and grime to build up on the engine.
Thought it was the drain plug when I noticed the drips tending to collect there (lowest point) and the threads were pretty hammered. Tossed a heli coil in but it did not appear to help much. Yes, I religiously replace the copper crush washer for the drain plug when changing the oil as well.
Questions:
Does yours leak a little and you've just grown used to it; should I just get over myself?
Any advice for spots that are always "leak prone" that I can look at?
Any advice to oil removal on an agregate driveway?
Should I replace my oil with a thick mix of molasses and Elmers glue thus slowing the leaking process???
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Definitely, heavy on the glue, please.
I always have trouble with drain plug drips, and mainseals that take awhile to seat in on new engines (doesn't help that all the flywheel cores are so old, with some scoring on the sealing flange). The mainseals finally do stop, but I spend awhile wondering if they ever will. On drain plugs, I have better luck with nylon washers than solid copper washers; tubular copper crush washers work great but I can't seem to keep them around.
Valve covers commonly begin to seep when the cork gaskets finally dry out completely, and go on to drip when the gaskets crack. Periodic replacement, on the order of 50k miles or 4 years, whichever comes first, can keep valve cover leakage away. Coat the cork with lithium grease before installation and it will soak in the grease and stay soft a long time.
Lotsa places on the engine will seep a bit after awhile: pushrod tube seals, breather tower base o-ring, fuel pump flange blockoff plate, oil pump, even around the base of the diz. Most can be resealed without having to remove the engine or anything that drastic, except the mainseal. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
deprivation
Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2006
Posts: 1220
Location: Austin, Texas
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject: Re: oil leaks |
|
|
| zippyslug31 wrote: |
| Should I replace my oil with a thick mix of molasses and Elmers glue thus slowing the leaking process??? |
Or you could switch to pancake syrup. Mmmm... Pancakes...
_________________
1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Mmmmmm, bacon. Pancakes with bacon. Mmmm... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
psych-illogical
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2004
Posts: 1181
Location: AZ
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: Re: oil leaks |
|
|
| zippyslug31 wrote: |
Any advice to oil removal on an agregate driveway?
|
Sure hope somebody's got a solution for this one. My Westy peed gear oil on our brand new exposed agregate driveway. Wife was somewhat displeased to say the least. I now have to park Westy in the dirt on the side of the house. I've tried all the commercial concrete cleaners from Home Depot with little to no success. The best luck I've had was diluting some Dawn dishwashing liquid with some water so it would hopefully soak down into the concrete, scrub hard with a stiff brush, let it soak for overnight and then hit it with the high pressure hose nozzle with the hose hooked up to my water heater, temp turned up high. Made it less obvious but the spots are still there  . This might work better if you got it immediately soaked up with some kitty litter or something and then apply the Dawn ASAP. I didnt' work on mine for a coupla weeks.
_________________
83 1/2 Westy waterboxer
'57 Beetle-sold 
Coupla '81 BMW motorcycles (R80G/S; R100RS)
'96 BMW R1100GS |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zigsbus
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2006
Posts: 23
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
It wouldn't be a VW if it didn't mark it's territory  . I've had great success with a product called Simple Green at full strength for those stubborn stains... Z |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bucko
Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2004
Posts: 2617
Location: Coppell, Texas
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
I must be a lucky one. My 1.9 liter engine does not leak a drop. I cannot say for sure if a previous owner rebuilt it sometime in it's life, but it is clean and dry.
A 10" oil spot is big enough to get my attention as well. I'd clean the underside of the engine the best I could, then park it over a clean piece of cardboard, in a better attempt to locate the source of the leak(s). Using cardboard to guide your attention straight up from the spot (assuming you also park it on a level surface) can help.
As to the bacon, pancakes, and syrup, add some grits to my plate. MMMM, grits.
_________________
Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia
Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I want grits, too. With butter on top! Mmmmm. Grits. Mmmmmm. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Wait! The oil stains! If kitty litter works good, wouldn't grits work even better?
Mmmm, grits 'n' gear oil. Mmmm. With pancakes 'n' bacon! Mmmmmmmm. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zippyslug31
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2007
Posts: 799
Location: Central Oregon
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
| bucko wrote: |
A 10" oil spot is big enough to get my attention as well. I'd clean the underside of the engine the best I could, then park it over a clean piece of cardboard, in a better attempt to locate the source of the leak(s). Using cardboard to guide your attention straight up from the spot (assuming you also park it on a level surface) can help.
|
10" over the course of time. Basically it's the combination of several individual "drip sessions".
I've done the clean-the-underside-to-see-where-it's-coming-from-bit, but it's relatively slow and I drive the van daily. After a few days the underside of the motor just seems to be oily and it collects on the lowest point (drain plug).
It's a mystery to me but I guess it's a matter of spending a lot of time to locate it.
Honestly I don't car THAT much about the leak, it's more the stain on the driveway (and the flak I get from the wife).
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
j_dirge
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007
Posts: 4641
Location: Twain Harte, CA
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| zippyslug31 wrote: |
10" over the course of time. Basically it's the combination of several individual "drip sessions".
I've done the clean-the-underside-to-see-where-it's-coming-from-bit, but it's relatively slow and I drive the van daily. After a few days the underside of the motor just seems to be oily and it collects on the lowest point (drain plug).
It's a mystery to me but I guess it's a matter of spending a lot of time to locate it.
Honestly I don't car THAT much about the leak, it's more the stain on the driveway (and the flak I get from the wife). |
Mine leaks from the rear seal... over time it has sprayed a nice arc of oil along the line of the belt.
The oil seeps when the engine is cold and works down to the underside where it drips from near the plug.
I've noticed that once the engine is warm.. no drops.
weird, eh?
A mechanic tells me thats because the seal, which is old, will expand slightly as it warms up and if the van is driven long enough the oil that seeped will mostly burn off. So no drips when the van is parked after a longer drive. Just more crud build up on the engine.
My observations seem to prove him correct.
If I drive a short distance, say 8 miles.. there are drops on the ground shortly after stopping.
If I drive 30 or more.. no drops.
If you're seeing a lot of crud build up around the aft part of the engine, that might be your source
I add a quart every 600-1000 miles.
I have a tray under her when in the garage. When on the street in front I'm helping maintain the slurry seal.
One of these days I might replace the seal.. but at 158k on my '89, I might be swapping for a rebuild sooner. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
