What to do...

[Smosh]

Right, so I have read a number of threads by others posing this very question and still dont feel I have come to a solution. So I am askiong the wise and rest of you for some friendly advice.

The van is leaking oil. Most likely from between the engine and gearbox. Main oil seal?
The van is losing water, a few signs of loss around some pipes. The expansion tank always empties. I filled it with water (not coolant, I know) when I found it empty and had no coolant. After a few short runs the water is brown, and foamy.
The exhaust manifold has come away from the head and I cant get the very rusted nut off the very rusted thread.
The van still pulls well and doesnt seem to overheat. the aux. belt does need tightening.

So my question, what the hell do I do to get my van useable and spend as little as possible. Do I;
- drop the engine out, replace the main oil seal and exhaust and hope for the best,
- get a second hand 1.9dg sling that i, or,
- RJES kit and use the motor out of my subaru legacy 2.0litre with 46k but a failing clutch?

[Aidan]

if it were me I'd fit the scooby in there, and I'd also replace the radiator with the 2.1 one and flush out the rest of the cooling system that is being retained to ensure that the new engine gets decent cooling and sell the wbx and everything that isn't used in the scooby installation

[300CE]

How bad is the leaking oil seal (does it throw up oil onto the back of the van after say a motorway run)? If so, the failure could be caused by movement in the crankshaft - have you drained the oil recently to have a look at the condition? I'm with Aidan on the Scooby route as you already have one there.

[Smiffo]

I would suggest yo go the Scooby route...
Not for any technical rationale, or price reasons - I'm not one of the wise, but I do want to see a Scooby conversion thread..!!!

[Smosh]

The Subaru is very tempting it will prob cost around £1500 and I'll have a fairly good van mechanically. The trouble is I am trying to move house asap and need another £25k before I can. It seems foolish to spend money on the van when I should be saving.

The leak is bad enough I park on a piece of ply when on the inlaws drive and have to be careful going to clients houses. I havent done the oil recently, it is due a change but looks alright from the cap and dipstick - not too dark, not milky.

[CJH]

Don't give up on your WBX. Do you have the tools to do a compression test?

The van is leaking oil. Most likely from between the engine and gearbox. Main oil seal?
The exhaust manifold has come away from the head and I cant get the very rusted nut off the very rusted thread.

These two problems would indicate dropping the engine to fix I think, and may involve professional help with the exhaust studs. But try to check the source of the oil - does it smell like engine oil or gearbox oil? Could it be an engine oil leak from somewhere else (pushrod tubes?) that's just finding it's way to the lowest point?
Presumably your engine's making a bit of a racket with a blowing exhaust.

The van is losing water, a few signs of loss around some pipes. The expansion tank always empties. I filled it with water (not coolant, I know) when I found it empty and had no coolant. After a few short runs the water is brown, and foamy.

If the rubber seals between the heads and the case are dry, then this is a simple if painstaking fix. Drain the brown water, loosen the offending hoses, clean up the connections, flush the cooling system with a hose pipe stuffed in wherever you've removed a hose, clean out the header and overflow tanks, refit the hoses (with new hose clips), refill with the proper antifreeze. A day's work tops, and it'll be very satisfying to have a properly watertight and clean cooling system.
If those rubber seals aren't dry, then you can keep running indefinitely if it's only a slow leak, and I'd be tempted to do so (I have been in fact, pending an engine out re-seal) since a fix involves removing the heads, and all the pain that might entail.

Oh, and tighten that belt.

[itchyfeet]

So my question, what the hell do I do to get my van useable and spend as little as possible. Do I;
- drop the engine out, replace the main oil seal and exhaust and hope for the best,

yes, but as CJH says investigate the water leak first and do a compression check, the rssults of this may dictate your next move.

[Smosh]

Weekend mission then. Compression test and clean the underside of the engine to help isolate the leak. Time permitting flush the systems! I'll report back with compressions...

[itchyfeet]

Water leak may not be at the engine and could be in several places but the amount you are loosing you should be able to find the main culprits quickly, small leaks are hard to find.

I once forgot to tighten a jubilee clip and drove around for weeks with a leak before I found it, I was amazed it didn't pop off.

I also found some leaks only happen hot and other only happen cold.

Corroded aluminium pipe connections on the engine have also leaked on my van, under the pipe there is lots of white powder, remove hose, clean up and replace hose.

a sheet of cardboard under the engine/van will tell you where its leaked.

Of course brown and foamy could be a head compression seal hence the compression test.

[jason k]

To do a Scooby properly is gonna cost much more than 1500 quid!

[what2do]

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[itchyfeet]

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what to do... not what2do

[what2do]

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what to do... not what2do

Sounds the same when spoken.

[what2do]

[/quote]
If the rubber seals between the heads and the case are dry, then this is a simple if painstaking fix. Drain the brown water, loosen the offending hoses, clean up the connections, flush the cooling system with a hose pipe stuffed in wherever you've removed a hose, clean out the header and overflow tanks, refit the hoses (with new hose clips), refill with the proper antifreeze. A day's work tops, and it'll be very satisfying to have a properly watertight and clean cooling system.[/quote]


Having read this a few times now, I'm missing something fundamental (haven't touched the claret tonight so I can't blame the vino), hoping someone will point out the obvious (not to me). How will flushing out the system with a hose solve the problem of leaking head seals? The suspense is killing me.

[itchyfeet]

it won't
it says if they are dry, i.e ok
if so the leak is elsewhere, clean up offending (leaking ) pipe junctions