Oil leak track down

[grandfatherjim]

I said no drips but now see that was only because I didn't wait long enough. Now with engine out and oil cooler removed, it is very clear that the oil pressure switch (also recently replaced) has been leaking significantly. Since it leaks down onto the oil cooler is is hard to really tell whether the oil cooler seals were leaking. They didn't look obviously damaged but I will replace them now that I'm in this deep.
Also thought it was a Good Idea to remove the mouse nest that completely blocked the top side of the oil cooler from getting any air.
Busted several heads off cooling tin screws so I have my fun cut out for me....
Colin, re: those exhaust manifold helicoils - on cylinder 1, both studs had dropped out. One, earlier, on the driveway by itself, and when I went to screw it back in it just rotated away so I'm guessing the helicoil is turning in there. When I took the bottom cooling tin off today (the one under the pushrod tubes that attaches to the heat exchanger), the other stud was lying inside it. I haven't tried putting it back in.

I'm told that there are longer helicoils available that would be an improved solution here. (Maybe another brand?). Have you experience with those?
b) Are there known-to-be-reliable oil pressure switches? I'm willing to pay. This is nuts.

Jim

[Amskeptic]

I said no drips but now see that was only because I didn't wait long enough. Now with engine out and oil cooler removed, it is very clear that the oil pressure switch (also recently replaced) has been leaking significantly. Since it leaks down onto the oil cooler is is hard to really tell whether the oil cooler seals were leaking. They didn't look obviously damaged but I will replace them now that I'm in this deep.
Also thought it was a Good Idea to remove the mouse nest that completely blocked the top side of the oil cooler from getting any air.
Busted several heads off cooling tin screws so I have my fun cut out for me....
Colin, re: those exhaust manifold helicoils - on cylinder 1, both studs had dropped out. One, earlier, on the driveway by itself, and when I went to screw it back in it just rotated away so I'm guessing the helicoil is turning in there. When I took the bottom cooling tin off today (the one under the pushrod tubes that attaches to the heat exchanger), the other stud was lying inside it. I haven't tried putting it back in.

I'm told that there are longer helicoils available that would be an improved solution here. (Maybe another brand?). Have you experience with those?
b) Are there known-to-be-reliable oil pressure switches? I'm willing to pay. This is nuts.

Jim

We need to be careful here. I suggest a careful Timesert installation if these heads are in good condition. If you can use the heat exchanger as your pilot, so much the better. What you do, is get your head depth figured out on a drill bit, use masking tape to mark. Add the depth of the heat exchanger flange. Tape the bit. Install heat exchanger. Use this "depth gauge" to mark your cutting drill bit. Drill down to the tape mark (exchanger + stud hole). Now remove heat exchanger or heck, drill the other stud hole. You need the alignment to be very excellent when using Timeserts.

If we used 8mm helicoils, you will be going up to 10mm timeserts with stepdown studs available from German Supply.

Known-to-be-reliable oil pressure switches? Surely, you jest. Call your Porsche VW Audi dealer and ask them who their oem equipment oil pressure switch supplier is (throw a part search in there too, they might have one for you), "please read the box for any one of your oil pressure switches the brand the brand, thank YOU."
Colin

[grandfatherjim]

By 10 mm Timeserts, are you referring to the i.d.? I see German Supply carries both 9x8 and 10x8 studs. If drilling to tap for a 10 mm thread, maybe I could just tap the head for 10 and use the stud 10x8 directly without a Timesert? Hmm, maybe we have already drilled larger than that.

[Amskeptic]

By 10 mm Timeserts, are you referring to the i.d.? I see German Supply carries both 9x8 and 10x8 studs. If drilling to tap for a 10 mm thread, maybe I could just tap the head for 10 and use the stud 10x8 directly without a Timesert? Hmm, maybe we have already drilled larger than that.

You shall find out with a test 10mm bolt, same thread pitch please, and report back!
Colin

[grandfatherjim]

Meanwhile I found the leftover helicoils from the package we bought. They are about 9.2 mm outside diameter.
I also checked the i.d. of the holes in the manifold which are 9.1 mm, so I can't have it in place while I drill
Well, next step is to pull the head for a good examination.
Photos to follow.

[vdubyah73]

it hs been recommended, by many, that the manifold holes be opened up to aid in installation of heater boxes. especially after this type of repair.

[Amskeptic]

it hs been recommended, by many, that the manifold holes be opened up to aid in installation of heater boxes. especially after this type of repair.

Yes yes yes yes yes, Jim, be on your best practices A-Game. Drill the heat exchange flange holes to 10mm and they will pilot your into the head at the correct angle for a strong aligned EZ SlipOn result.
Colin

[grandfatherjim]

Well OK - but there has to be a limit! These holes are already larger than original; perhaps you will recall I burned out Brian's drill during that effort. It does look like there's enough meat there to go up to 10, I think.
Tonight I should get a chance to pull that head and scope out what's happening.

[Amskeptic]

Well OK - but there has to be a limit! These holes are already larger than original; perhaps you will recall I burned out Brian's drill during that effort. It does look like there's enough meat there to go up to 10, I think.
Tonight I should get a chance to pull that head and scope out what's happening.

We do have some good studs still, right? Do not drill the holes for the good studs until after you have drilled your pilot holes for the bad studs. Then you can drill the holes for the good studs for easy fitment.
Colin

[grandfatherjim]

Meanwhile, one culprit was the oil pressure switch:


It seems like, maybe, the threads on that switch were tapered a la pipe thread. And it had pre-applied when I bought it some pipe dope (orange) on the upper threads. If my suspicion is right then no wonder it leaked, as only the topmost thread would be providing anything resembling a seal against the hopefully high oil pressure.

Today I found the correct part at my local parts store - made in Germany and all - and here they are side by side:



Not shown with the new one is a crushable washer to fit between the block and the underside of the switch body. Lucky me, I had a thinnish copper one around of just the right diameter.
I wish I could remember where I got that wrong one, so I could say "don't buy your switch there". But anyway now you can see what they should and shouldn't look like.
Jim

[bajaman72]

Lucky.. My hole was stripped :(

[Amskeptic]

Meanwhile, one culprit was the oil pressure switch:
I wish I could remember where I got that wrong one, so I could say "don't buy your switch there".
Jim

Lets, for the sake of argument, say that your average counterperson is just trying to get through his day as easily and painlessly and thoughtlessly as humanly possible.

It is our responsibility to our cars to be the most over-involved helicoptering parental pia parts purchasers we can possibly be.
1) it will wake up the counterperson from their somnambulent stupor, a good thing.
2) it will protect your car from all the bad things that a stupid incorrect part can do, like in your case, taper threads can split pressure galleries, leaks can rot your engine mounts out and filth up an entire engine in no time.

Colin . . . because we care

[grandfatherjim]

..... and filth up an entire engine in no time.

The cleanest part of the engine was immediately around the switch, since that area had been so recently washed with oil. I am spending a lot of time cleaning. Not quite Colin cleaning but let's-make-it-90%-better-than-it-was cleaning.

[grandfatherjim]

Exhaust head studs successfully reunited with head using extra long TimeSerts. Turns out the ones we Helicoiled were OK and these were others that had not been dealt with yet (both from cylinder #1.) Timeserts are sold by a total of one company in Canada, and as luck would have it, a Vanagon neighbour had some 16 mm long, 8 mm i.d. in stock at his place. As yet more luck would have it, I found the stud I thought had gone missing somewhere down the road, so all is well in that department.
Next, the cooling tin is being painted white. Yeah, white, so you can see problems like oil leaks sooner. So you can find that cooling tin screw you just dropped and can't pick up with a magnet anymore since you cleverly switched them all to stainless steel. So you can spot the rust starting up again and deal with it. So the whole engine compartment is brighter and everything is easier to see.
Just about every piece of tin has a crack or a hole, and some has been brazed in the past....so now instead of fixing an oil leak and exhaust studs I'm mig welding, grinding, cleaning, and painting cooling tin. Typical bus repair I guess.
But I do want to get camping.....

[Amskeptic]

Turns out the ones we Helicoiled were OK

toledjoo, did too . . .
Colin
(did they make it through a re-torque)