This is my oil leak.

[thejinx]

So. This is my oil leak. There are many like it but this one is mine.


I can see wet at the base of the barrel and around the push rod tubes. Not in the picture is a wet patch on the exhaust which looks like a drip from the rocker cover towards rear of engine. I’m pulling the engine this winter but as the oil is probably blowing around due to me not having ski slope covers on at the moment. Going back on during winter where should I start with plugging this leak. Any advice welcome as usual.

Engine running fine cruises nice

 

[ozziedog]

Don’t bother is my advice, also don’t run your motor without all the tin ware on is also my advice :lol: The base of the barrels is impossible without breaking it apart unless you pop the rocker covers off and just have a tiny twiddle with a torque wrench but don’t go crazy or you’ll have nuffink left. It’s also possible that you’ve pulled a stud already and that’s why it’s leaking. When you’re motor warms up, all these pieces become a tighter fit, then it cools down and loosens a bit etc etc etc, so trying to stop that on an old motor is like trying to hold back the tide unless you gets him in pieces. So rockers off, just a socket initially just to guage if the bolts are loose or not. Same with the tubes If you’re having him out in the winter. Nice new gaskets on them tubes but clean him up within an inch of his life :mrgreen: If you want to slow down the leaks, try a multi flavour oil like the Halfords or Wilco mineral ones . An oil change will probably help anyway but stay away from that straight 30 stuff :msn4:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,, Tin Ware,, is part of the issue with your oil being toasted. :mrgreen:

 

[thejinx]

Cheers Ossie. Possibly new engine in 2022. I will tinker this winter.

 

[sparkywig]

If you're running without lower tins there's no cooling air over the bottoms of the barrels, and the thermostat won't function correctly either.

 

[ozziedog]

Mr Jinxy bud, I have a couple of ski slope tins that you’re more than welcome to borrow but they are chromed ones so deffo not originals. Might keep your motor a bit cooler and the oil a bit cooler and therefore might keep it in the bloody motor a bit longer :lol:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, gimme a shout and I’ll post em to you and you can return em whenever :mrgreen:

 

[thejinx]

Cheers fellas. I’ve got them but took them off last winter to tinker. This year apart from a run to the MOT and a quick blip around I’ve done nothing. COVID and all that. So really Oct it will be put to bed, engine out and I will then sit with my books out brew in hand and hopefully sort the probs and put the tinware back on. Bought some Butty’s Bits tin ware for J Tubes need to fit those as well. So busy winter

 

[Aardvark]

Don’t bother is my advice, also don’t run your motor without all the tin ware on is also my advice :lol: The base of the barrels is impossible without breaking it apart unless you pop the rocker covers off and just have a tiny twiddle with a torque wrench but don’t go crazy or you’ll have nuffink left. It’s also possible that you’ve pulled a stud already and that’s why it’s leaking. When you’re motor warms up, all these pieces become a tighter fit, then it cools down and loosens a bit etc etc etc, so trying to stop that on an old motor is like trying to hold back the tide unless you gets him in pieces. So rockers off, just a socket initially just to guage if the bolts are loose or not. Same with the tubes If you’re having him out in the winter. Nice new gaskets on them tubes but clean him up within an inch of his life :mrgreen: If you want to slow down the leaks, try a multi flavour oil like the Halfords or Wilco mineral ones . An oil change will probably help anyway but stay away from that straight 30 stuff :msn4:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,, Tin Ware,, is part of the issue with your oil being toasted. :mrgreen:

Hi Ozziedog.
I was just reading through this and I noticed your comment about oil. I use that Golden Film SAE 30 stuff from JK (comes with the service kit)
I often thought that a modern oil would be better so what's your recommendation? I know its probably been covered in the forum before, but you have your finger on the pulse.
I use Castrol 10w40 magnatec in my 1986 Fiat campervan.
Thanks
Aardvark

 

[sparkywig]

Because VW air-cooled engines use a flat tappet cam ideally you'll want to run an oil rich with zinc (ZDDP), such as Lucas Hot Rod & Classic Car 10W-40 or the Halso range of air-cooled oils.

And I quote
"ZDDP is added to engine oils to stop scuffing in high impact areas such as the flat tappets in the VW engine. When the cam hits the tappet, it does so under very high pressure and CAN squeeze all the oil out resutling is a moment of metal/metal contact, which of course increases wear. ZDDP acts as a sacrificial protectant. When that metal/metal contact occurs, there is a microscopic overheated zone. This causes a tiny amount of ZDDP to decompose at the contact site, forming a thin zinc metal coating which acts as a cushion against any more steel on steel contact. The zinc eventually wears off, causing another miscscopic metal/metal contact and a re-deposit of more zinc at that site. Since the ZDDP is sacrificial, it is used up during engine running, so you need a good amount (1200-1400PPM) in the oil to start with so there is still some left at the oil change time.
Unfortunately, the amount of ZDDP is being reduced in most oils as modern engines with roller tappet cams don't need it and it kills catalytic converters, so if you have the option, choose an oil with a high amount of ZDDP in it."