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stevey88
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: Fremont, SF Bay Area
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 Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:05 am Post subject: Oil in rocker cover - should it be any ? |
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I have just repacked a stucked lifter. On opening the rocker cover, there was no oil accumulated inside. The rocker shaft, springs and rockers are oilly though. Is this normal for a WBX engine ?
BTW, thanks to Tencentlife for the info on the CB Performance push rod tube. Thanks also to Boston Bob for the method of bleeding the lifter.
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Steve
87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed |
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tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Normally you get just a little oil loss when removing a valve cover. If your oil is filled to the top notch on the dipstick at the moment it can be quite a bit more, but you should run with the level mid-way between the marks. A lot of these engines just burn off that extra pint and you end up right back where you started, a bit poorer.
If everything is covered in oil then the top-end oiling is probably working normally. If you want to verify there is oil circulation there just leave a valve cover off and have a friend start the motor for you. Oil will be spraying out from between the rockers and that is proof that oil is being pumped out the pushrods to lubricate them. Have your friend ready to shut it off quick if you want to avoid making a mess!
I've never heard of a complete failure to lift oil to the rockers, although some engines with low OP will starve the rockers some at low pressures, such as idling and at low rpms. The load on rockers is still there at any rpm, so that does result in some galling of the rockers and their shafts.
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delta-ed
Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2006
Posts: 58
Location: Delta, OH
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:30 am Post subject: |
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My 86 van is leaking from the cover on the driver side, it drips on the exhaust which makes a lovely burned oil smell everywhere I park.
My mechanic replaced the gasket, but I still get a leak after the engine warms up. This is a rebuilt engine and only has 2000 miles on it.
Any ideas on why this is leaking? I don't remember my other vans ever leaking from there.
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& 89 Wolfsburg (not running) |
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riceye
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2006
Posts: 1661
Location: Caledonia, WI
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| delta-ed wrote: |
My 86 van is leaking from the cover on the driver side, it drips on the exhaust which makes a lovely burned oil smell everywhere I park.
My mechanic replaced the gasket, but I still get a leak after the engine warms up. This is a rebuilt engine and only has 2000 miles on it.
Any ideas on why this is leaking? I don't remember my other vans ever leaking from there. |
Check the valve cover for rust pits that have perforated the metal. Strange as it sounds, I've had it happen. And you are in the rust belt. I was successfull cleaning it up and soldering the holes closed.
Otherwise, replace the gasket with a good quality one. Quality does matter with them. And be sure the bail clips tightly.
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