Conference terri::cars_uk

�                       -< Oil Leak - VW Transporter Van >-
    
�	my workshop manual it appears I can replace the seal without 
�	taking the engine out. Can anybody confirm or deny this as I would 
    
    If the manual says you can do it with the engine in place, then
    I would believe it is possible - but it doesn't indicate how easy
    or difficult this may be.
    
    You will probably get a definite answer from the AIR_COOLED conference
    (this does use the air-cooled boxer engine, doesn't it ?), I don't
    know if you've tried asking the question there.  (sorry, can't help
    you with the node name for that conference...)
    
    J.R.

    		If memory serves me, you would have to take off the 
	valve cover, remove the rocker assembly and pull out the push
	rod.  Then you can remove the tube.  I doubt that you could 
	reuse the old tube, but there is a replacement made that can
	be expanded in place.  I will look to see where I read about
	it tonight.  Hope this helps.

	Tom

	P.S. The air cooled note is IOSG::AIR_COOLED

    No I don't own a VW transporter van, but I do have a rather worrying
    oil leak on my '89 Escort RS Turbo.
    
    There is oil appearing on the exhaust manifold at the front of the
    engine. I assumed that the oil was leaking from the rocker cover gasket
    above and running down the fron of the head onto the manifold where it
    gets burnt and turns black and noticable.  After having the rocker
    gasket changed the problem is still there.  I then changed the rocker
    gasket again myself just to be sure and cleaned all around the front of
    the engine with a toothbrush and Gunk to remove all the old oil and so
    I could see exactly where it is coming from.... The result of this is
    that there is no oil leaking down from the rocker gasket but it appears
    that it is bubbling out from behind the exhaust manifold gasket onto
    the manifold itself and dripping down further from there. All the
    manifold nuts are tight - I've checked that.  I was under the
    impression that oil should definitely not come out of there anyway.
    
    Do you think it's serious doctor???
    
    I'm popping round to the Ford dealer at lunch to see if they can help. 
    The car is still under warranty, but in the warranty booklet it states
    that external oil leaks are expressely excluded...
    
    Could it be valve stem oil seals or something a lot more serious like a
    cracked block? :-(
    
    Worriedly yours,
    Gary.

�    that it is bubbling out from behind the exhaust manifold gasket onto
�    the manifold itself and dripping down further from there. All the
�    manifold nuts are tight - I've checked that.  I was under the
    
    I'm not familiar with the layout of the turbo/manifold/head on the
    Ford, but maybe the oil is coming from the turbo [bearings] ?
    
    I know that when I had my Integrale, there was a certain amount of oil
    on the intake system, which came from the turbo.  I found this out
    when the hose that connected the turbo to the intercooler came adrift !
    
    The presence of oil here did not worry me, since it was not excessive
    (the car didn't smoke to show it was burning oil) and a small amount
    of oil in the system can only help 'top end lubrication' of the engine !!!
    
    Biggest concern was that when the pipe came undone (twice), I was
    running an 'atmo' engine - performance really suffered :-(
    Made a funny sound when the turbo just blew the boost straight out to
    the atmosphere, instead of into the intercooler and on to the engine.
    
    I wonder if perhaps there is some oil coming from your turbo housing, or
    more specifically the turbine bearings, that could be running down the
    inside of the manifold and leaking past the gasket ?
    
    J.R.

    I am certain it's not the turbo leaking oil as this is below the the
    four branch exhaust manifold where it routes into one pipe and then into
    the turbocharger. The oil is only appearing from behind the 4 branch
    exhaust manifold bolted direcly onto the front of the engine where the
    exhaust ports are.
    
    I haven't a clue where it's coming from, but it's got worse over the
    past couple of weeks :-(
    
    Gary.

    Well it looks like bad news I'm afraid. I took the car to an RS dealer
    at lunchtime, and they thought it was a rather perculiar oil leak too.
    Their only guess is a cracked head. What fun eh? :-(
    
    So it's booked in on Monday to have the turbo and exhaust manifold
    whipped off to have a closer look.
    
    I just hope it's covered by the warrenty - if not, then I've to pay for
    the stripping and new cyclinder head...
    
    Gary.

    
    I hate to say it, but...no I won't....
    
    Mark

�    I just hope it's covered by the warrenty 
    
    Isn't yours chipped up ?
    
    If so, I'd expect that to crap on any warranty.
    
    Having said that, I believe that BBR provide some form of warranty,
    in the case that their modification may cause the problem.
    
    J.R.

    It could just be the gasket...
    
    Laurie.

    The exhaust manifold gasket you mean Laurie?
    
    I thought that it shouldn't have oil behind it! :-/
    
    Ah well I hope it is nothing too expensive, but I think it looks bad.
    
    Gary.

    
    Head?
    
    Mark

    If the head gasket is leleaking, then I'd have water in the oil
    wouldn't I? - I've checked the oil filler cap and there is no frothy
    guff there, and no signs of oil in the cooling system expansion tank.
    
    There is burning Mobil 1 smoke eminating from the bonnet vents though
    :-)
    
    Gee I'm glad I can still smile in a crisis.
    
    Gary.

�    If the head gasket is leleaking, then I'd have water in the oil
�    wouldn't I? - I've checked the oil filler cap and there is no frothy
    
    It would depend on where the gasket (or the head) is damaged.
    
    If there's no connection between the waterways and the oilways, no mix.
    
    J.R.

    What they said.
    
    Laurie.

    I got the beast back yesterday and I'm happy to say that all is fixed
    for a "mere" 46 squid.
    
    The garage removed the turbo and the exhaust manifold to check for
    cracks in the front of the cylinder head. They didn't find anything
    amiss thank goodness, so put it back together with a new exhaust
    manifold gasket.  They then eventually traced the oil leak to the
    distributer gasket, from where it was travelling across the front of
    the manifold. So they replaced this gasket too and cleaned all the old
    oil off.  They then proceded on an 11 mile test drive (at hair raising
    speed no doubt :-) and the oil leak has disappeared!
         
    Gary.

    
    	Gary,
    		I also had on oil leak from the cylinder head region,which
    I manged to trace to the distributors O ring which had split and was
    causing a leak. 
    
    	It's a small world isn't it!
    
    	Andy.