1973 Volkswagen Van new oil leak

Tiny
RMEYERS
  • MEMBER
  • 1973 VOLKSWAGEN VAN
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 45,000 MILES
My 73 Westy has a 2L engine with about 5,000 miles on it. During our most recent trip we put about 1200 miles on it of which were hard due to hills and high speed highways (70+). I have noticed the alternator and top right side of the engine is wet with oil. This does not appear to be a valve cover leak. Are there any common leaks that can occur in this area and is this something that needs immediate attention. The leak is minimal as the oil level barely dipped below the add mark in 1200 miles.
Saturday, November 28th, 2009 AT 12:06 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
DR LOOT
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,311 POSTS
Is it coming out right below the oil spout, where you put oil in? Or is it coming from the breather, crankcase breather?
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Monday, December 14th, 2009 AT 11:50 PM
Tiny
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It is coming from the crankcase breather I think. I pulled the air breather off the carburetor and it had a little oil in it apparently from the hose that is connected to the crankcase. I have a Weber progressive and the bottom of the air filter plate had some oil on it as well. Could this be engine blow back?
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Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 AT 10:11 AM
Tiny
DR LOOT
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,311 POSTS
"Could this be engine blow back?" It is, First thing I would do is to remove the breather housing on the block. There are or bolts, that takes a special gasket, which is made out of metal, and it has three fins cut in it, stop the oil leak first before you blow up the engine. Now back to the blow-by problem. Due to the fact that the engine only has 5000 miles, and depending on the oil You are running in it, the rings may not have ceded Yet, and therefore you have excessive crank case pressure, also driving it at 70+ miles an hour, was very hard on it.
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Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 AT 10:26 AM
Tiny
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Thanks for the help. I run Castrol GTX30 and it really is hard to keep it under 70 in Texas where we have an 80mph limit on I-10, but I will do my best.
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Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 AT 10:34 AM

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