oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

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jmstu76
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oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by jmstu76 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:33 pm

OK, No pics yet, but I can get some.

'76 Type IV FI, all stock.

Persistent oil leak high on the rear passenger side. oil whispies are blowing out between the 1-2 tin and the shroud interface. Oil is also coming out the hole in the Alt tin that allows the dipstick to pass through.

prolonged running has left the rear tin, shroud (especially passenger side), screen and fan coated in oil.

Pulled rear tin and fan. cleaned up behind fan, found no fresh oil. Ran engine for not more than a minute without fan. No visible leaks/leaking.

(galley plugs have been tapped and plugged a couple years ago)

replaced rear main seal (fan seal), no change.

Oil cooler is dry.

Super frustrated. Can not figure out what or how oil is getting into shroud.

Trying to figure out how to correct leak without pulling engine, but will pull soon if nothing helps.

Racking my brain as to what would be able to leak in that area.

Note: fan blades seem to be dry although leak is happening.

Possible scenarios:
oil is being slung onto the back of the fan entering the shroud...
Breather is leaking and allowing oil to flow down the passenger side of the case.... but there isn't a huge puddle of dripping while running under the engine.
Case seam through bolt and nut have loosened up and internal oil is being pushed out of bolt hole over the Number 2 cylinder...
James
1976 2.0L FI with Hydraulic lifters

Edmond, OK
(405) 623-2191

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asiab3
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by asiab3 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:34 pm

Have you inspected the sealing ability of the dipstick boot?
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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jmstu76
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by jmstu76 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:49 pm

asiab3 wrote:Have you inspected the sealing ability of the dipstick boot?
that was recently replaced (3-4 months ago), but I have a new viton one on the way in the mail now.

I'm impressed with your type IV knowledge Robbie
James
1976 2.0L FI with Hydraulic lifters

Edmond, OK
(405) 623-2191

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the miz
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by the miz » Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:33 pm

...from a victim of heinous oil leaks on a type IV engine:
- are the push rod tubes leak free?
-if any oil is pooling on the breather, plug the vent hole with a small stainless screw, threads sealed with weather stripping compound
-my former type IV engine would ooze from the junction of the plastic filler neck with the metal neck on the case when under load-- an expansion plug in place of the plastic neck did the trick
-that engine would also leak at the dipstick-dipstick tube interface, when under load, I used a spring from the fan shroud to the dipstick "ring" (handle) to keep it under tension and leak free...
-dipstick tube to case seal could also be a culprit...
-breather tower to case seal was also a problem for me...
-ultimately I was able to eliminate all leaks except for case seam seal...which partially lead me to the "turnkey rebuild" situation I'm in now.

When the engine runs "leak free" in the garage, but is drenched in oil after a road trip, it is absolutely maddening...

Feeling your frustration,
miz
1982 Westy- Vana White

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jmstu76
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by jmstu76 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:54 pm

the miz wrote:...from a victim of heinous oil leaks on a type IV engine:
- are the push rod tubes leak free?
-if any oil is pooling on the breather, plug the vent hole with a small stainless screw, threads sealed with weather stripping compound
-my former type IV engine would ooze from the junction of the plastic filler neck with the metal neck on the case when under load-- an expansion plug in place of the plastic neck did the trick
-that engine would also leak at the dipstick-dipstick tube interface, when under load, I used a spring from the fan shroud to the dipstick "ring" (handle) to keep it under tension and leak free...
-dipstick tube to case seal could also be a culprit...
-breather tower to case seal was also a problem for me...
-ultimately I was able to eliminate all leaks except for case seam seal...which partially lead me to the "turnkey rebuild" situation I'm in now.

When the engine runs "leak free" in the garage, but is drenched in oil after a road trip, it is absolutely maddening...

Feeling your frustration,
miz
Thanks for the help,

push rod tubes are good.

Breather is wet on the top, I had previously coated each side of the breather gasket with rtv, allowed it to dry then carefully set the bail on the breather.

I'll check the vent hole, I assume you are talking about a vent hole in the plastic piece on top of the breather.

I have been suspecting the dip stick. If I could actually see oil coming out of it, I would know. I can run the engine in the garage with no dipstick and rev it up and not even a drop comes out of the dipstick.

Other than a spring, any other way to "seal" up a dipstick?? Oring? Gasket?
James
1976 2.0L FI with Hydraulic lifters

Edmond, OK
(405) 623-2191

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the miz
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by the miz » Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:13 pm

jmstu76 wrote: Breather is wet on the top, I had previously coated each side of the breather gasket with rtv, allowed it to dry then carefully set the bail on the breather.

I'll check the vent hole, I assume you are talking about a vent hole in the plastic piece on top of the breather.

I have been suspecting the dip stick. If I could actually see oil coming out of it, I would know. I can run the engine in the garage with no dipstick and rev it up and not even a drop comes out of the dipstick.

Other than a spring, any other way to "seal" up a dipstick?? Oring? Gasket?
...no problem!

Yes, I'm talking about the vent hole in the plastic piece on top...rtv on the threads of the screw should do it too...

I hear you on the dipstick...I never saw oil come out of that end either, but once, after a 2 hour freeway drive and a sudden "oil light incident", I pulled over, only to find the dipstick displaced from its tube by 1/2"...the spring fixed it, ultimately...I have 2 "spare" dipsticks/tubes that I tried to remedy the situation with...but it was the $0.50 spring from the hardware store that really did the trick! Fresh o-rings might help, but I seem to recall the appropriate size/thickness being tough to find...it would likely be a case for "custom fabrication" Dremel work...

...good luck!
miz
1982 Westy- Vana White

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Amskeptic
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:22 pm

jmstu76 wrote:[
I have been suspecting the dipstick.
Other than a spring, any other way to "seal" up a dipstick?? Oring? Gasket?
Factory used cork ring glued to the inside of the "hat". I use a rubber o-ring.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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jmstu76
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by jmstu76 » Wed Mar 23, 2016 9:23 am

looks like my problem was mostly found in the breather. The cork gasket had split and I believe it was "blowing" oil out only under moderate to heavy load which I was not able to produce while running the engine in the driveway. I also put a slight bend in the dipstick where two rolled pieces of steel come together to form a spring. I spread them a bit to cause more of a spring action. Now my dipstick stays put. Thanks for the help....
James
James
1976 2.0L FI with Hydraulic lifters

Edmond, OK
(405) 623-2191

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airkooledchris
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by airkooledchris » Wed Mar 23, 2016 4:34 pm

A UV light and some dye for the oil works really well when your stuck trying to find a leak.

I went through a ton of seals/etc until I finally gave in and went the UV route. There were a few little spots that I wouldn't have thought about being problematic until I saw it with the light.
1979 California Transporter

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Amskeptic
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Mar 23, 2016 7:29 pm

airkooledchris wrote: There were a few little spots that I wouldn't have thought about being problematic until I saw it with the light.
Please send a stamped self-addressed envelope to airkooledchris for what those little spots were. Hurry. Offer is limited.
You too can see the light . . .
Colin :bom:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Jivermo
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by Jivermo » Thu Mar 24, 2016 4:01 am

Blinded by the light, revved up like a Westy, valves adjusted too tight,
Headflow Masters bummers,
High temps in the summers,
Climbin' up the hill,
In the dumps with the chumps
As the Bosch fuel pump pumps,
Double clutchin' is such a thrill.
Colin comin' over,
we'll all be in the clover,
Carb spray fills the air,
Metric sockets in my pockets
Oil leak-we'll stalk it, as
The jack stands crashed to the ground.

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airkooledchris
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Re: oil leak in shroud, rear passenger side, Type IV

Post by airkooledchris » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:28 am

I guess it wasn't fair to just make that statement without backing it up with some data. Sorry, I was in a bit of a rush at the moment. :P


I had changed the rear main seal a few times thinking it was just a bad seal or poor installation.
The strangest one, to me, was coming from this case bolt and NOT the rear main seal like it appeared to be:

Image




For the one that looked like maybe the oil switch or oil cooler, it's mostly from the oil filter mount:

Image
1979 California Transporter

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