New bay owner but oil leak opinions needed!!

[cunning plan]

Hey all!!!

Right, quick introduction of myself, I owned a '87 wedge for a few years which I took from being a total wrecked builders van to a (what I think) cool day van / rat cross..

I spent loads of cash and time turning it into what i wanted, i spent a summer putting a new 1.9D engine in out of a caddie van.. After loads of break-downs due to hoses blowing up, the engine dropped a valve (should have put a turbo diesel in :? ). I just did not have the enthusiam (or money) to put another engine in. I miss that van now, i had alot of fun in it and it was good to drive.

Fast forward, i have a daily driver but also a craving for a toy to fettle... So i bought this:

The plan was, to use it for the summer as it is, then if i liked it enough, put loads of cash into it and make it into what i want with a decent engine, brakes etc etc... But heres the problem, its leaking oil from what looks like the centre of the join of the case / block. So to repair it would mean an engine rebuild, or pratically....

So what options have I got?

I cant continue with the original plan of using the engine as it is as its costing 10 quid a day in oil which ends up on the road.. So, i dont know if I like the bay that much to spend loads of cash on a new engine for it (sorry) but I cant run it as it is and I dont really want to sort the leak becuase its pratically rebuilding the engine, and if im doing that I would want to do it properly and build something more powerful..

What do you guys think?

 

[caesar]

I dont really want to sort the leak becuase its pratically rebuilding the engine, and if im doing that I would want to do it properly and build something more powerful..

What do you guys think?

Do it properly and build something poweful!

Van looks like a keeper to me...

 

[Guest]

I would get it seen to, not just for the mess on your drive but if its losing oil it could overheat and lead to something more serious. Recon engines are cheap... why not get a longblock and build the parts from this on to a new one and save your self some pennies.

Nice rides and weleome to EB 8)

 

[halfpint_fighter]

Is it leaking at the flywheel end? Could just be a flywheel oil seal, £10 and a days work and it would be fixed.

If you are not sure where the leak is coming from, jet wash or steam clean under the engine and then run it to get a better idea. I know from experience that when an oil leak starts it seems to cover the entire engine!!!

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

If it is a crack, a temp fix would be some metal weld? Like a epoxy resin stuff.......?

Alistair

 

[cunning plan]

Hey guys, thanks for first thoughts..

Nice rides and weleome to EB 8)

Thanks dude 8)

I was going to go with

If it is a crack, a temp fix would be some metal weld? Like a epoxy resin stuff.......?

suggestion but tonight the engine lost all power and stalled for a few minutes, I had to wait for it to cool down before trying to restart it, which it did and got me home but the oil leak seems worse........................ :x I know there was an issue with the engine when i bought the vehicle, but i wanted it to chug on for a bit longer... It starts and drives still, but i dont know if i can trust it over a distance...........................................

I dont think I want to spend loads of a refurbished engine, has anyone got a contact or know of someone selling a cheap 1600 or bigger?

why not get a longblock and build the parts from this on to a new one and save your self some pennies.

Interesting, sorry im a bit of a noob with flat 4s, whats the longblock? I know I have the 1600 and I THINK the beetle bell housing / box?? But if anyone can give me anymore information and ideas of what I can do, it would be really appreciated..

The van is a 1968 model.

 

[sparkywig]

Nice van, definitely a keeper. I'd drop the engine, check it out to see if it's a single or twin port and then either rebuild as stock, or IMO if it's a twin port, build a 1915.
Start spending, you'll soon get used to it. :wink:
Welcome to EB.

 

[Araon]

I'm still not clear exactly where your leak is? towards the front face (gearbox), rear (crank pulley), directly underneath (drain plate) etc.....

try as already mentioned a quick jet wash and pinpoint the problem area pics are always good.

longblock in reference to any engine being the basic lump minus all ancilliary components....so case, cylinders,heads etc...then tranfer all your dynamo, carb dizzy etc across and in the process give it a good old clean.... you can always sell on your old longblock or refurb it and have a spare in the shed...

nice van mate you've probably got a weekends work to sort it (as it sounds your quite handy with a spanner)and theres plenty of longblocks going on the usual forums and ebay....

 

[Joval]

Longblock is the complete engine between and including the cylinder heads, with no ancillaries.

You should be able to pick up a usable S/H 1600 for a couple of hundred quid.

 

[Araon]

infact see my avatar thats yer basic longblock

 

[cunning plan]

Hi guys, i have been so busy with work I havent had time to look at the bay. Ive got a day off work today though so im getting out there and finding where the leak is, cleaning it all up and trying to bodge it so i can get to chav jam..

I will get some pictures up to see what you all think...

Next question, while I am doing the leak is about the fuel gauge, it doesnt work!!!!!! I have a play behind the dash and even though it looks a bit messy, its all clean and earths are good.. So i figure the problem must be the sender? But where abouts is it???? I can only see a section of the fuel tank and im thinking its on the bulkhead side of the tank, the one you cant get to :| ? Does this require taking the engine out to get the tank out to then get to the sender?

Anyone know another way of testing the gauge to see if it is that before i continue to mess around with the tank? I wired it up to a battery and it flickered but didnt go to max which i thought it would...............

Thanks for the help guys,

 

[mjknight71]

nice bus.....

think the sender is on the top of the fuel tank....engine out or cut the rear bulk head jobby.....

mine never reads full and flickers with the indicators...balast resistor or something..should be able to put a current across it to see if it reads....

good luck..

 

[Araon]

it is on top some people have successfully worked on it with the engine in place...

you can ground the wire that runs from meter to sender and the meter should read full if it does check all the connections on this wire if it doesnt then the gauge is shot....

to replace the sender then it is a deffinate engine/tank out or cut an access hole....

 

[cunning plan]

nice bus.....

think the sender is on the top of the fuel tank....engine out or cut the rear bulk head jobby.....

mine never reads full and flickers with the indicators...balast resistor or something..should be able to put a current across it to see if it reads....

good luck..

it is on top some people have successfully worked on it with the engine in place...

you can ground the wire that runs from meter to sender and the meter should read full if it does check all the connections on this wire if it doesnt then the gauge is shot....

to replace the sender then it is a deffinate engine/tank out or cut an access hole....

Arr, okay ill give that a try, thanks guys..

Sooo, after getting it back from buying it

The oil leak became a slick, so i had to fix it,

Ive never worked on an aircooled before, amazing how quickly they come apart

I found the oil leak, im pretty sure it was/is the oil pump gasket/seal

Sooo, i made a tempory gasket out of a Coco-pops box

It seemed to help, i took it for a few runs taking it easy and its better, but still a slight drip..

I think i will throw in a decent engine at some point..

Something else I wanted to ask you guys, when i had the van up in the air, around the master cylender i noticed that some arse has made a connection out of GARDEN HOSE..

Is this even remotely safe????? :x :shock: :?

Hmmm... Anyway, going to chav-jam tomorrow for a few hours, if anyone sees me broken down, please have a tow ready :lol:

 

[Joval]

Probably is fine, your brakes will still work if it fails.

Coco pop gasket might not last as long. :lol: