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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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 Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| wvukidsdoc wrote: |
| Nothing special about the "silver" one except VW started sending many of their o-rings covered/superficially impregnated in a graphite like stuff there in the mid 90's, I doubt it is any better material, just newer, the coating is to help their seals for everyone that doesn't understand you have to lubricate all o-rings on installation. |
The original o-ring were very sorry. They only gave 2-4 years of life. The later ones (which probably everyone already has by now) give a much longer service life, but surely it is not an infinite one.
The lack of the oil cooler is one reason I like the 1.9 set up. At least four less things to leak that are known to cause untimely breakdowns and maybe complete engine failure. If I ever run a 2.1 again you can be sure that the oil cooler will be removed and that I will just run synthetic to handle the little extra heat the oil is likely to see. Even without running synthetics the 1.9 had no more bearing or cam problems than the 2.1 that I am aware of.
If you believe that all German engineering is prefect and are unwilling to ditch the cooler then at least wrap the small hoses to the cooler in foil or metal wrap. These are sure to burn to a crisp and burst at some inappropriate time. |
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wvukidsdoc
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2005
Posts: 159
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| wvukidsdoc wrote: |
| Nothing special about the "silver" one except VW started sending many of their o-rings covered/superficially impregnated in a graphite like stuff there in the mid 90's, I doubt it is any better material, just newer, the coating is to help their seals for everyone that doesn't understand you have to lubricate all o-rings on installation. |
The original o-ring were very sorry. They only gave 2-4 years of life. The later ones (which probably everyone already has by now) give a much longer service life, but surely it is not an infinite one.
If you believe that all German engineering is prefect and are unwilling to ditch the cooler then at least wrap the small hoses to the cooler in foil or metal wrap. These are sure to burn to a crisp and burst at some inappropriate time. |
I don't know volks, I've had scores of Vanagons over the years (30+) that I've bought and sold. At least half of them have been bargain basement $1000 vans I've fixed and resold, all over 10-12 years old. And countless FWD VWs. I've replaced only one of these in my life for actual failure. Though I have replaced plenty of original ones when changing hoses (admittedly a failure point over about 10 years old so for all vans now days), however I've even re-used originals in a pinch as well. I have an '87 right now, it has the original engine and I have every receipt in its life, it's never had a hose or the oil cooler seal replaced. Will/could/can it fail, sure, but I simply don't buy that "they only lasted 2-4 years" I'd have had to do scores of these in my life and I haven't. As with everything YMMV, and using the newest best part is always best.
Personally, I like the coolers, mostly because they are heaters as well, are very reliable intrinsicly themselves, and for most moderate climates are fairly effective, but they certainly introduce more failure points. In some regards though, what is 4 more hoses on a system with 15-20 anyway???
John |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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So you bought vanagons and flipped them with reused parts or very few new parts? Man, the new owners must love you..  |
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wvukidsdoc
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2005
Posts: 159
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| syncrodoka wrote: |
| So you bought vanagons and flipped them with reused parts or very few new parts? Man, the new owners must love you.. |
Over the years I've bought plenty of vans for $1000 and sold them for a whopping $1500-2000 or so after plenty of my time, though I have flipped a few syncro Westy's to idiots who would pay the going rate. I joined the vanagon list in its first year of existence when samba was not even a glimmer of existence, no one who ever bought a van or an engine from me has ever complained. The new owners and the countless people who I have worked on their vehicles for free over the years have never comlained either. Will I use a used part I consider OK, sure as hell. Do I think an o-ring coated with graphite is better than one not, not really, do I think they are of miraculously better quality, not really, do I think the original ones were "prone to failure in 2-4 years" well I don't recall them failing left and right in 1989 or 1990 or so, let alone 25 years on.
YMMV.
John |
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AndyBees
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2332
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:22 pm Post subject: Used parts vs new parts |
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| syncrodoka wrote: |
| So you bought vanagons and flipped them with reused parts or very few new parts? Man, the new owners must love you.. |
There are numerous vehicles on the road that went thru similar hands, including dealers and car lots that had "used" parts and "very few" new parts put on them.
There's nothing unusual about what the man said he done.
Right now, there's a junk heap Bay Bus in Florida that I am considering going down and purchasing for less than $500.00. I'll bring it back from the brink of extinction with both "used and new" parts....... have it purring like a kitten and then Sell it.
Any potential buyer will have the opportunity to look it over, take it for a drive and then make a decision - to buy or not to buy! Their choice!
Edit: To the original Thread Starter's Urgent Question, I still say it is the Oil Filter seal.
_________________
'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Captain Pike
Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2003
Posts: 3343
Location: Talos IV, Piedmont Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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On a lighter note
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OpuuAa7gdE
I can't get it to link correctly______anyone?
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current....................... |
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ftp2leta
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 3271
Location: Montreal
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Urgent Question! |
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| Matt Gesus wrote: |
Im not too familiar with my vanagon yet.
therefore i have no clue what has happened. i started my van, and my friend saw all of the oil just drop down from around the oil filter.
i mean ALL the oil just fell out.
im not sure weather i blew a head gasket. or the oil pan seal.
Does anyone have any idea what im experiencing?
1986 vw vanagon.
thanks in advance. |
Mechanic 101, clean oil leak area, start van and watch. Very simple and effective. Take a picture, post it here. You will have your answer in 3 seconds. not sure how to clean an oil leak mess. It's call brake cleaner.
The oil filter area is a big leaky one.
I'll bet on a defective oil pressure sender, oil pressure reg seal, hey maybe an unhappy pushrod tube.... a hole in the block. A perforated oil filter. Missing the oil drain plug?
Ben
_________________
Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
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FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta |
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tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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Awww, come on, Ben, that would be too easy!
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/
Please don't PM here, I will not reply.
Experience is kryptonite to doctrine. |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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To quote from the Bentley:
"Extreme cold weather can harden and split the seal between the engine block and the oil cooler thus creating an oil leak.
"An improved cold-resistant seal was installed in production as of 02/87.
"The new seal can be identified by its silver-grey appearance and is available through your parts deparment (sic), part no. N 901 814.02."
It doesn't take much experience with VW engines to know that these seals fail often. The N 901 814.02 seal has been superseded by a later number 038.117.070A which has the alignment ears.
I don't think that VW went to the trouble of up grading these seals at least twice because they weren't having problems. I haven't seen an earlier seal in years, all the earlier ones disappeared from the system years ago. |
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ftp2leta
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 3271
Location: Montreal
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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I have.
A couple months after fixing it I yanked the motor and pushed a subaru engine into it's place.  |
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morymob
Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2007
Posts: 4683
Location: east-tn
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| Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:41 am Post subject: |
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| When i replaced eng in my '86 syncro in august i removed the oil cooler, 4-1.9's previous with mucho miles and no problems so i removed the potential disaster maker. |
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Matt Gesus
Samba Member
Joined: November 29, 2009
Posts: 164
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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it was the oil coller gasket!
and those clamps were pretty difficult to deal with in my freezing garage. hah
thanks to everyone for the help. |
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devesvws
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2004
Posts: 1540
Location: madison va
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thummmper
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2009
Posts: 2015
Location: Meadow Valley, California Republic
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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get the bentagon book and dont be afraid to disassemble things after the cursory cleaning. Youlle need an entire pack of huggies for that 2.1..."some prestone and a lot of ball bearings....wich!" .. "And clean off this filth and muck, and guck!" [fletch]
call morton thyocol. the seals have failed again. where's tencent with his two cents? |
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DAIZEE
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010
Posts: 7552
Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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| Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:59 am Post subject: |
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Matt, Virginia doesn't know what cold is. I lived in Edmonton Alberta for 3 years while I was intraining and it never got above zero for over 4 mths! THAT was depressing. 
Manitoba beats Southern Ontario for cold tho. In Canada we consider Virginia "down south" 
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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