Oil cooler

[steve74baywin]

78 Westy, 2l
I have a big oil leak. I drips down by the oil filter. I tightened the oil filter, it still leaks.
I had this happen in another bus once, it was the oil cooler seals.
That is what I think it is again.
Is there a way to check and repair the oil cooler leak with the engine in the bus?

[jtauxe]

Possibly, but it will probably be less of a PITA to remove the engine. Servicing the oil cooler like this requires that you remove the fan shroud, and that is very hard to do with the engine in place. Just take it out. And go after other seals while you have it out.

[steve74baywin]

Possibly, but it will probably be less of a PITA to remove the engine. Servicing the oil cooler like this requires that you remove the fan shroud, and that is very hard to do with the engine in place. Just take it out. And go after other seals while you have it out.

I was thinking that, but hoping not.

I had a nice 24' X 24' covered cement slap I put in at the last place I lived at. I probably dropped T4 Bus engines about 8 times and T1 beetles engines about 5 times.
Not looking forward to doing it on dirt, I do have a piece of plywood though.
Looks like a good project to start tomorrow, or today.

[whc03grady]

it will probably be less of a PITA to remove the engine.

x2.
Our bus's fresh rebuild had a leak at the oil pump so in our naiveté we pulled the fan shroud (in two halves) to get the pump. In the end it worked, but it would've been much easier to pull the engine.

[Randy in Maine]

Can you rule out a leaking OP sender first?

[RussellK]

I tried to replace mine with the engine in. Fahgedaboutit.

[Sylvester]

Take it out and take some pictures. I don't think I have ever seen your Bus Steve.

[Bleyseng]

I have done this a couple of times and its not that bad, in fact its pretty easy.

[steve74baywin]

Can you rule out a leaking OP sender first?

Randy, Randy Randy,
After reading this I headed outside, wiped off the OP sender and started the bus up.
There was a puddle of oil sitting on top where the spade connector comes through.
I removed the OP sender, unfortunately I had to steal one. Yep, I stole one from a bus not too far from the 78. Good news is I own that bus too.
I replaced it, and started it up. There were a few new drops from the oil filter, but I think that is leftover oil. The flow was less.
Time will tell when I go for a spin this evening, but I think it is fixed. It was loosing more than half a quart in 30 minutes.

Take it out and take some pictures. I don't think I have ever seen your Bus Steve.

I didn't take the engine out and I didn't take any pictures, I'm charging up the camera ATT.
I haven't taken too many pictures over the years. But here is one of my two buses under the carport we built at the old location.
The 78 is the blue/white one. It was original green when we saw it's picture on the Internet, when we went to look at it the seller had botches of primer on poor body work, so I let my girlfriend Jill have at it with spray cans. That was about 6+ years ago. The green one is my 74, I got that running again last year for my son going to college, but he didn't need it anymore and I took it off the road to lower the insurance bill.

[ruckman101]

Sweet.


neal

[Randy in Maine]

I don't know why some of these OP senders develop leaks.

If that fixed your problem, you got lucky this time. Relish your good fortune!!

[Sylvester]

Take it out and take some pictures. I don't think I have ever seen your Bus Steve.

I didn't take the engine out and I didn't take any pictures, I'm charging up the camera ATT.
I haven't taken too many pictures over the years. But here is one of my two buses under the carport we built at the old location.
The 78 is the blue/white one. It was original green when we saw it's picture on the Internet, when we went to look at it the seller had botches of primer on poor body work, so I let my girlfriend Jill have at it with spray cans. That was about 6+ years ago. The green one is my 74, I got that running again last year for my son going to college, but he didn't need it anymore and I took it off the road to lower the insurance bill.

Nice Steve. So the green monster is waiting for it's next assignment?

[steve74baywin]

Nice Steve. So the green monster is waiting for it's next assignment?

The green one is the one I would like to use as my daily driver.

Well it certainly looks like the oil leak is fixed.

Good job and Thanks Randy.

[steve74baywin]

Well, well.
Turns out it wasn't the oil pressure sending unit.
It appeared to fix the problem, while idling here in the yard.
But when the RPM's pick up the oil still came out. It took a few small daily trips to notice.

We lowered the engine this weekend, but kept it connected to the transmission and removed the fan, some tin, and the fan housing.
One of the nuts for the oil cooler was gone and one loose. Only one remained tight.
These only get 5 ft pounds or 60 in pounds or torque.
It was either myself or Jill that put them on 1.5 years and 14000 miles ago.
This time, I put some sealer that should keep them on.

[Randy in Maine]

Would that sealer be like "locktite blue or green" on the oil cooler nuts?