Oil leak on the new 914, thinking pushrod tubes or oil cooler? Filter is tight and valve covers seem dry. Any suggestions?

Oops double post

Can you tell after it sit's where the oil is coming from!! That would help.

ok...well, it drips down the sides of the oil filter, and drips off the bottom of it

If you look above the oil filter on the top side of the engine, you will see a thermostat that is recessed in the tin (near distributor). If that gets loose or the gasket fails, oil will leak and drip down making it appear it's coming from the oil filter.

that is great...thanks....now, just in case thats not the problem, any other remedies??? thanks --JON

would ya look at that...oil is STILL leaking

Question! Did the other owner know (tell you of this problem?) I would think you may have a issue over this.?

best case scenario (that I can think of): oil pressure switch. use flashlight and look in hole in sheet metal next to distributor. If oil is leaking from there it is probably leaking from between the metal/plastic joint. get a new switch from porsche dealer. If you get a cheapo "hecho en mexico" you'll repeat this in a few weeks. careful when tightening it - you'll need ~24mm(?) to r/r. it has fine threads and easily stripped, if not already.

unhappy scenario (happened to me): case oil galley plug is coming out. when it actually pops out it lead to total oil loss quickly. engines needs to come out. In the future, if the engine ever needs to come out for any reason, have the 2 plugs above the filter console, as well as the ones on the back behind the flywheel tapped and plugged. good luck

Jonathan,
I am going to tell you something someone told me when I first got my 914. Get George's book. No matter what anyone says about George or Automobile Atlanta, George knows 914's. He will tell you where the oil leaks are coming from and how to fix them. Like him or not, he is often if not always right on the money.

That said, the side of the motor you are talking about often has leaks from the oil temperature sender, the oil cooler, the push rod tubes. All can be fixed with the motor inside the car. Chances are if the car has sat for any length of time like mine did, you may have to pull the motor and reseal it.

Welcome to 914 heaven.

It may also be oil cooler seals, Just so happens I have my motor out, here's a pic. of where the sensor and cooler are in relation to the filter. Hope that it's not the cooler seals, you will have to pull the motor to replace

Can we PLEASE lay the fallacy that "you have to pull the motor to replace the oil cooler seals" to rest???

There is a classic thread on how to replace the seals (and even the cooler) without pulling the motor.

I know.. I have done it!

Thanks, ill look into these today

The only way to find the source of the oil leak is to actually look.

Put the car up on stands, get yourself a couple cans of brake cleaner and clean all of the old dirt and oil off of the engine until it sparkles. Then run the engine and look for where the leaks are coming from.

Yes there are places where these cars leak more than others, but they shouldn't just leak as a rule.

You're just going to have to get in there and clean ad find *your* leak.

if the area around the oil pressure sending switch is dry and there is puddle of oil on the top of the filter, chances are your cooler seals are spent. DO NOT fall victim to 'while it's apart, i think i'll...'

k

There are also oil filters, fram is the worst, that do not fit right and do leak at the

seal. But I would look at the oil preasure sender and cooler seals.

OK, I'll put it to rest. More power to ya, I would have pulled the motor.





It's soooooo easy to fall victim to that. If it where me and the leak was that bad,knowing how 914 are, I'd pull the motor and reseal everything I could.

while it's out, might as well have the heads checked!
if the heads are off, might as well replace the rings!
since I got it this far, might as well split the cases and put in bearings!
If I am going to put in new bearings might as well put in a Raby cam!

If I'm putting in a cam , might as well put in BIG pistons.............

SHIT!!!!!!!!!! It's that easy