I'm not new to the air-cooled engine (I've rebuilt/restored my fair share of VWs), but I am new to the type 4 engine. I have an oil leak...or two...or three. I have recently replaced the push rod tube seals and the valve cover gaskets, but she continues to drop oil everywhere. It doesn't seem to be a terrible leak, but any oil leak is too much for me. What else are some trouble spots for these motors?

BTW, this is a stock 1.7. However it sat for some time (about a year) without being run and I'm not too sure about the maintenance that was done prior to my purchasing the car. My guess is that an engine drop is in my future, but maybe I will get lucky.

Sometimes I think they wait untill you leave then just spit out oil to mess with you. Several of mine had a leak from the oil pump.

Chris

Check the oil cooler seals. Search archives on how to change with engine in car. (BTDT) Will make oil look like it is coming from a lot of places, but once you look up in that area with a bright light you can tell if it is the seals leaking. Ensure 3 oil cooler nuts are properly tightened and that the bracket on the far end of the cooler is attached properly and bolted to the fan housing! (cause of my seals going bad) Also have heard the plastic part of the oil pressure sender (on top of engine next to distributor) will crack and leak- should be easy to check that. John

Oil pump, oil cooler, fan seal, rear main seal, taco plate, strainer plate.... or you could have the mystifying bad trans input shaft seal like I did. Boy does that thing make a mess.

Trans input shaft seal will leak gear oil. Smells horrible--sulfurous, like rotting eggs.

A fun one is the pulley bolt for the thermostat cable. If the bolt is missing, it will leak oil out--but only when the engine is running!

--DD

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like it's more time on jackstands for the car and more time under the car for me. But at least I have some suspect to investigate.

And Dave, I found the themostat pulley gusher shortly after purchasing the car. The PO pulled the thermostat off, but never put the bolt back in. He then wondered why it constantly leaked oil from the hole in the case.

First thing I do.

Pull the motor, its easy and you need to learn how anyways.

Then do all the seals.
Just get it over with.

Front and rear mains.
While doing the rear main, look at the oil galley plug that is behind the flywheel and make sure its not leaking, and make sure the case is not cracked in that area and dribbling.

Then oil pump, and oil cooler, and front seal.

My sons car leaked like mad after he re-installed the valve cover....hmmmm

After I turned it back over (the VW logo needs to be upside down) and installed a new gasket, all was fine.

Also a great time to take off the head tin, and clean out between the cylinders. There tends to be alot of built up dirt/oil that makes it near impossible for the AIR to get through....

All of these things are a simple and single day, and the motor runs alot better after that.
Rich

I second the clean between the cylinder thing, collects a lot of crap on a 914. Clean the motor and then look, top bottom and side to side, trakcing stuff down is easier then.

Hey John, how are things? I still need to get lighting like you and my car is still burnt orange.

Dave, I lke the smell of gear oil, does that mean something?