Camshaft sealing plug R&R?, thought I had a rear main seal leak.... Options

[scott_in_nh]

I've owned my 914 for 15 years and close to 40k miles now and never had the engine out! But I haven't used it much in the last 5 for several reasons.

The biggest is it shifts poorly, and it was dripping both motor oil and gear oil out of the bellhousing. I also had never done a deep dive for rust, but some holes that appeared where the floor and long meet under the driver's seat have convinced me now is the time (I'm 66 yo and afraid it will get "stuck" on the jack stands rather than being driven).
So far, the chassis is really very solid, but there will be more revelations and questions about that to come.

I dropped the entire drivetrain and separated the motor and trans thinking I had a rear main seal leak, but instead it turned out to be the camshaft sealing plug.
I found a lot of directions for pulling, tapping the rest of the oil gallery plugs (which I will not be doing), but no specific mentions of this larger plug.
Is it the same drill a hole, put a screw in and pull it out, followed by gluing a new one in?

Thanks in advance - more questions to follow

Scott

[Superhawk996]

I’m struggling with the ethics of offering more options.

From OP it’s clear that right now you don’t understand how this was put together. Not trying to shame you and you’re doing the right thing by asking before acting.

Better to ask than do something that may damage the case.

So here goes. If I didn’t know how to or want to split the case and rebuild an engine what would I try?

This comes with the caveat that this is some DAPO (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) , that I would hate doing this, and would know that it is a 1/2 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif) repair at best. But it MAY avoid splitting the case and know it’s not guaranteed to work.

Clean it up - immaculate. Brake clean, acetone, the works. Get every speck of oil residue off of it.

Lightly roughen it with something like 400 grit sandpaper.

Cover with some JB weld. Be aware it can’t be so thick that it interferes with the flywheel.

I hate myself for even suggesting this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) but in full transparency I once used JB weld to repair a damaged oil pan on my Miata (had 220k + miles and was rusting away - so on its way out anyway). That JB weld repair literally held for years. But I’m still ashamed of myself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[edit]. Get a sharpie or paint pen. Draw arrow to JB weld and write “not my fault”. That would be the cherry on top (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[scott_in_nh]

I’m struggling with the ethics of offering more options.

From OP it’s clear that right now you don’t understand how this was put together. Not trying to shame you and you’re doing the right thing by asking before acting.

Better to ask than do something that may damage the case.

So here goes. If I didn’t know how to or want to split the case and rebuild an engine what would I try?

This comes with the caveat that this is some DAPO (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) , that I would hate doing this, and would know that it is a 1/2 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif) repair at best. But it MAY avoid splitting the case and know it’s not guaranteed to work.

Clean it up - immaculate. Brake clean, acetone, the works. Get every speck of oil residue off of it.

Lightly roughen it with something like 400 grit sandpaper.

Cover with some JB weld. Be aware it can’t be so thick that it interferes with the flywheel.

I hate myself for even suggesting this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) but in full transparency I once used JB weld to repair a damaged oil pan on my Miata (had 220k + miles and was rusting away - so on its way out anyway). That JB weld repair literally held for years. But I’m still ashamed of myself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[edit]. Get a sharpie or paint pen. Draw arrow to JB weld and write “not my fault”. That would the cherry on top (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

I've seen how it was put together, and while I have not split a type IV, I have a fair amount of mechanical knowledge and have rebuilt a wide variety of motors including Type 1s (in the very distant past).

It should be obvious that I know you can fix it by splitting the case, but the engine runs great and I believe the problem was Hans in Pennsylvania, not Hans in Germany that made the mistake. I can't tell for sure, but there are many hints that this engine may have been rebuilt in 1992 or maybe it was just resealed, new clutch, and put back in. I'm still digging into that and the rest of the stories the car is trying to tell me. I believe whatever engine work was done while the entire car was being repaired and painted from Phoenix Red to a black metallic.

Another reason I don't want to split the case is I believe that this is a numbers matching 2.0 that I want to take out, store, and either build or buy used if a good opportunity comes along, a more powerful motor.

I was hoping for a way beside epoxy to seal it without splitting the case, it honestly only leaks about a drip or two per day, but it looks like I will do that for now. Thanks

also, I am resealing it myself while it is out. It was a pretty dry engine when I bought it but has turned into an oily mess. tins coming off today