Oil Leak

[BillWYellowstone]

Oil Leak 1986 2.1

Front (crank end) of engine, it gets spun off to the right. Cleaned off all oil. Let it warm up and trying to find source. My sense is that it is the crank seal, crank spins it out to pulleys and gets flung, Not sure why it won't go left other than maybe air pus not enough left to make it that far.

Any ideas where else it could be leaking from? I guess possibly the gasket where the block halves meet, but that seems OK, so far as we can see.
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Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.

[SCM]

I'm not sure that there is any other place for oil to leak out in the front of the engine so my guess is that your main seal needs replaced.

I just had the main seal on my engine replaced (about $350 at Small Car Clinic off of Jackrabbit Lane south of Belgrade). I didn't look real close but I had oil dripping both from the very bottom of the engine and also through the auto-trans access hole on the top left of the engine.

This is a good read before you do anything http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=535
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'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine

[hdenter]

To make your's and any mechanic you talk to lives easier, lets straiten out some terminalogy. There is no such think as the "crank end". The whole shaft running thruough the engine is the crankshaft. At the front of the engine, meaning towards the front of the car, is the flywheel. At the back of the engine is the pulley. The flywheel mounts the clutch which transmits the power of the engine to the transmission.

At the flywheel end of the crankshaft is the main seal. When it is failing you get drips from the bottom of the engine where it bolts to the trans. At the Pulley end there is no seal ( at least on the air cooled there is not) and it is not common to leak oil there. There is the breather tower on top just to the right and it could be leaking and dripping down on the right. There is also the oil pressure sender about half way down the back of the engine to the left and drips from that might be getting slung over. Where ever the leak is, propper teminalogy will help everyone understand and assist you.

Good Luck!
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender

[Wildthings]

[devesvws]

mine has been leaking since may at the oil pump on my new rebuild, not alot but it is a little bit of oil where the pully is and at first i thought it was the front seal. we did what the RB book said to do, but still it leaked.
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THE FEW THE PROUD THE ORIGINAL VW WATERBOXER -> looking for a original 91 vanagon owners manual with 1991 on the cover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmuiG2tUsP4&feature=share https://picasaweb.google.com/101290228103300323836/BostonBobFlywheelVideo#5543000332201103922

[BillWYellowstone]

My bad, it is leaking at the pulley end. Fly wheel end is nice and clean. So rereading this I should double check the oil pressure sender.

It is a wbx, I fully expect there would be a seal no matter the cooling method.

I will be driving the cleaned engine 200 miles today, expect to see oil at the end of the trip.
_________________
Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.

[devesvws]

i'm yet to see an oil seal leak on a water boxer, just saying.
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THE FEW THE PROUD THE ORIGINAL VW WATERBOXER -> looking for a original 91 vanagon owners manual with 1991 on the cover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmuiG2tUsP4&feature=share https://picasaweb.google.com/101290228103300323836/BostonBobFlywheelVideo#5543000332201103922

[BillWYellowstone]

Hmm, maybe someone is just pranking me. However, it will leak. Drove to Jackson, WY and back today, will look at the cleaned area in the morning.
_________________
Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.

[BillWYellowstone]

Following the other oil leak thread we will be pulling the dip stick tupe and checking.
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Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.

[BillWYellowstone]

Mechanic is thinking based on where oil shows up, and the fact there is fresh oil drops showing, the leak may be the seal at the top of the dipstick tube. Drip patterns seem to possibly bear this out.

Thoughts?

Source for the seal?

What to call the part for searching? Dipstick tube seal?
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Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.

[Wildthings]

If you are getting leaking out the dipstick tube, the first thing you should do is make sure your crankcase ventilation is not blocked off. The original hose was of unbelievably crappy quality and has probably been replaced with something that shouldn't be used around hot oil. There is also a heated orifice that may gum up over time.

[BillWYellowstone]

Another question, is the rubber piece usually held on ths dipstick, or by the tube?
_________________
Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.