My recently built (8months) and little used (2000 miles) 1972 914 with enlarged Type IV engine to 2.4 L runs very well, but has begun leaking oil. Oil drip is increasing to a pool of oil on smooth concrete floor of about 1 inch each time I return from a run, which increases to 2 to 3 inches after idling for 5 to 10 minutes while adjusting carbs etc. The oil is falling from the push rod tubes area, not from the front of the engine area (oil: cooler, filter, pump, relief valve etc.). Some oil has been "puddling" in the middle of the top of the case between the carbs apparently coming from under the tin, which is defying gravity and therefor must be pushed there by air flow. There are no other sources of leaking oil on top of the engine, -- oil pressure gauge, chimney and oil vapor hose connections.

Have removed the engine yesterday and have now removed the tin around the cylinders above and below, after also removing the push rod tubes. It is clear that the tubes have been leaking oil and the cylinder/case and cylinder/head seams are dry on top. Oil has collected everywhere near the tubes including on the tin and cylinder fins above the tubes. Oil on the cylinder fins is only around their vertical sides and some of the underside near the heads and the case - see photo. As the car is not burning oil, it seems unlikely that oil would be leaking from the cylinder/head seam. Curiously, oil has been collecting on the underside of the upper tin above the cylinders, presumably from oil in turbulent air flow, from where it has flowed out onto the top of the case described above.

I conclude (perhaps conveniently -- see comment later) some of the leaking oil from the tubes is being spattered around by turbulent air flow from the cooling fan mixed with under the car movement air flow, depositing oil on both sides of the lower tin, on the bottom and sides of the cylinder cooling fins as it travels up to the underside of the upper tin, some of which then exits from under the upper tin onto the case described above. Intuitively I have assumed air flows down past the cylinder fins forced by the fan, but how does the oil get deposited on the underside of the upper tin section immediately above the cylinders which are nice and dry?

Replacing the tube seals now is easy. Pulling the cylinders to reseal their seals to the case and heads is a big job for me. Thus I am tempted to complete the tube seal repair and not dismantle the engine further to fix dubious leaks around the cylinder case and head connections. Am I kidding myself??
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Major bummer. Hopefully this will be your only problem. Is there anyway you can test it before putting the motor back in the car? Does it only happen after running it? My only experience is replacing the oil return tubes in a six. Much easier job than a four since there are no push rods in the oil return tubes.

What, no more comments?

Also check around the distributor; oil can leak up around that as well. And, of course, the oil pressure sender can leak.

--DD

The oil on top. I read you have carbs.you suspect it comes from under the tin. Is it possible it is from the oilfiller or case breathing ? When you have FI there are hoses to route that oil. Without hoses or breatherfilters that oil can end up there. Or is that to far out of the box ?

Thanks again for your comments/suggestions. The possible leaks from the chimney, distributor, and oil pressure gauge connections have been thoroughly checked and confirmed no leaks. The hoses from the cylinder head breathing ports are also dry at all connections -- as expected a small amount of oil is regularly collecting in the oil breather, about a tablespoon full since installing this engine 2000 miles ago.

Hi,
Motor out already? If so, I would reseal the jugs. Otherwise, hope its the pushrod tube seals.

Carlos