81 Vanagon, oil loss.....

[77_Bus_Girl]

You could wonder if Twin Falls resembles his own

ha ha.

So Twin Falls? Do you?

You could spend two weeks of your life painting little dots on the headliner.

Did we ever get to see a pic of this? Or is it an urban legend?

[chitwnvw]

I met him. That's what he looks like. No twittering.

[bottomend]

You could spend two weeks of your life painting little dots on the headliner.

Did we ever get to see a pic of this? Or is it an urban legend?

No urban legend here. Perhaps a bit too urbane for my tastes though...

[Amskeptic]

I was trying to make a point at how we can talk ourselves into burying our heads in the sand trying to promote an adgenda without looking at the big picture. In general, people can become very myopic and it gets annoying to me, thats all.

[PDXpaulie]

Hi all,

New to the forum. Was referred by another member, that maybe some more useful info could be found here.

that was me. glad you made it. We email-threaded about this, and I figured that oil has to be going somewhere: out the tailpipe or out the bottom. No oil marks on the ground nor spray on the backside tells me its going out the tailpipe. Someone mentioned that the burning must be pretty efficient if the emissions aren't that bad. That's pretty interesting. Makes me wonder how imperative it is that he repair this right away. I thought it was possible that the oil is getting into the combustion chamber through the heads. With the dwindling compression numbers, though, I wouldn't want to stand on the heads as the only possible source. You could try the adding some oil trick to your compression test. That should help narrow the choices without having to find someone with the equipment to run a leak-down test.

Have you tried running heavier oil (like 20W50) to see if that slows the burning? Don't know if it will matter much, but as my engine has aged, I've moved up to it now and Hapy seems to be ok with it.

[bottomend]

Has anyone followed the van and watched the tail pipe in action? It's hard to see if you're the only one in the drivers seat and you try to look over your shoulder. You need a helper to "spot" you. You may have a big billowing cloud behind you that hangs low enough so it's not really noticable.

[vanagonvw]

Hi all,

New to the forum. Was referred by another member, that maybe some more useful info could be found here.

that was me. glad you made it.

Hi

I have run the 20-50W and it helps, but not all that much, and since the rate of consumption is not at all consistent, its hard to know for sure if it matters.... Sometimes, I can go 500 miles without losing more than half a qt, and other times, its much worse, so its hard to quantify it.

20-50W is much more expensive than 10-40W tho, so I stay with that. Time was, I would use the 50W in the hot months, but the last few years, I parked the van in the hottest months. I was seeing oil temps, measured from the drain plug, getting up past 260, which is bad news....

Meanwhile, I don't see it as something that needs to be fixed right this minute, but as well talked about, I was wanting to know of there were seals or gaskets that could be replaced, that might cut down on blowby, in case that was part of the loss.

Who wouldn't want a new motor? I can't conceive of that, so I start with what might be cheaper, simpler solutions, and work my way up to having to sell the van <shrug>

Meanwhile, I have serious issues with backfiring, as noted in another thread about timing. Its too embarrassing to even drive, and it rather points to probably a more serious problem, like a valve seat, or some sort of manifold leak/crack... which only makes me feel worse.

Seems I am losing the war this time. Been a hell of a fight for a lot of years, and it has never let me down, and performed flawlessly, but finances refuse to allow me to replace the whole shooting match, and it doesn't seem like there is an easy fix... Don't want to hijack my own thread, so I will leave the rest, for the timing window thread

Thanks a lot, and onward.....

John

[Amskeptic]

Has anyone followed the van and watched the tail pipe in action? It's hard to see if you're the only one in the drivers seat and you try to look over your shoulder. You need a helper to "spot" you. You may have a big billowing cloud behind you that hangs low enough so it's not really noticable.

I follow it as my son drives it, and there is no smoke at all.

I am going with what he wrote, bottomend, I can't speculate further unless I am suffering from the promotion of a myopic agenda.
Colin

[vanagonvw]

It can either be caused by oil leaking out of a set of seals that'll cost under $25 or .

My original question, in an admittedly long initial post, was, "are there any seals or gaskets that I could replace" as I figure to start with the easy stuff.

If you have an idea what seals, or gaskets may have failed, that I could replace without dropping the engine, or killing myself to get at, you have the information I seek, and I am listening

Thanks,

John

[Amskeptic]

My original question was, "are there any seals or gaskets that I could replace?"

John, the only seals you should replace are the ones leaking. Every seal on these engines will leave a pool of oil if it is leaking. If your engine is filthy underneath, your first step will be to clean it thoroughly. Then let it idle. Look. Then drive it very briefly. Look. Then drive it on the freeway for an exit-to-exit interval. Look. Any time you spot oil, you must consider both air flow dynamics, oil pressure potential (a valve cover has none and an oil cooler or gallery plug has lots) and gravity to help you spot the origin. If you find an oil leak spot, describe its location to us (left is U.S. driver's side, front is flywheel), and we will help you determine its origin.
Colin

[bottomend]

It just seems weird that there is not smoke pouring out of the tail pipe and no visible leaks. That oil has to be going somewhere and if it's simply being ignited in the CC wouldn't that show up as more smoke?

[vanagonvw]

It just seems weird that there is not smoke pouring out of the tail pipe and no visible leaks. That oil has to be going somewhere and if it's simply being ignited in the CC wouldn't that show up as more smoke?

tell me about it

I am sure some think I am full of baloney, with my description of what is happening. Can't blame em... <shrug>

I have to agree that if that much oil burning in the CC, it would be a heck of sight out the back. Plus, wouldn't it be more consistent in the consumption rate, if it was just burning inside?

That is why I think its a combination, and although I have not been up close and personal with the bottom of the engine lately, I suppose a meager amount from a tiny leak could accumulate, and get blown off the engine, before becoming large enough to drip, which would add bit more to the total amount? Gotta be more than one place it is going.

I long for the days when I could afford to just replace the motor. Maybe I can get there again one day, but for now, the challenge is to find a way to keep her going, and enjoy the ride, until I can swing it.

John

[Amskeptic]

I long for the days when I could afford to just replace the motor. Maybe I can get there again one day, but for now, the challenge is to find a way to keep her going, and enjoy the ride, until I can swing it.

John

I know the feeling and feel the predicament.
Colin

[Bleyseng]

Even though the oil isn't dripping on the ground doens't mean there isn't waste happening here. It's obviously being burned at an accelerated rate.

I don't wish to look like I am arguing with someone who is offering free advice but I have no proof that the engine is burning the oil at an accelerated rate, greater than I would expect for one so old. The plugs, the performance, and the lack of visible emissions, along with the tests, say its not happening.

I am of the opinion that it burns some, and it blows some out, and that is why I have asked for help determining where it can be blown out of the engine, so I can start there. Sure, putting in a new engine solves everything, but what if there is a seal or gasket that is allowing oil to blow out, which would be simpler, and cheaper to deal with? It might get me back to a quart in a thousand miles, which is a whole lot easier to accept.

You can start collecting the parts for a nice rebuild that will run you about $1500 total and by the time the money is ready,

Thanks,

John

You state that it doesn't leak oil so with that mileage has to be going past the rings and valves into the combustion chamber and burnt. There is no seal to repair to stop this.
Drive it till it dies..

[Amskeptic]

Drive it till it dies..

And plant two trees to displace the additional carbon. . .