Engine barrels - oil leak?

[maximillion]

Hi,

I am trying to track down an oil leak on the van (2.0l Aircooled - CJ) and find out what action i need to take? Its not a constant drip but its quite wet. It looks like its coming from around the barrels on the inside (block side), both sides are wet but 1 is worse than the other. Not sure if its connected but it seams to have a slight blow sound under load, sounds a little exhaust like but that looks to be ok and has good pressure when blocked.

Checked compression a month or so ago and it looked good to me:
1, 155 psi (initial reading on first crank 100)
2, 155 psi (110)
3, 145 psi (90)
4, 155 psi (110)

I read there are no gaskets on the barrels so is it a case of re-torquing?

Any thoughts...
Thanks

[CovKid]

Dripping oil cooler working its way down to barrels and exhaust manifold has a slight gap where it bolts to front of engine?

[maximillion]

Thanks, i'll investigate that, so if its a leaking oil cooler is that likely to the seals - is that a job that can be done with the engine in?

[kevtherev]

Or pushrod tube seals, check them too

[CovKid]

Could be the tubes but sounds more like the oil cooler Kev if barrels are wet. Not stripped an Aircooled in years but if memory serves me right its more over to one side so that might account for why one side seems more wet with oil than the other. Bit of a faff to get to it. Aircooled bod will advise I'm sure.

Perhaps give the engine a pressure/soap wash underneath so its clean then investigate again - may help you narrow it down.

[maximillion]

I have changed the push rod seals, got a slight weep on 1 but its coming from above them somewhere.

[CovKid]

Not much top side it can leak from - unless the barrels themselves are weeping. Theres the dizzy seal but thats not really central. How old is this engine? Has it ever been rebuilt?

[gsmoke]

Quite a mystery.
I cant see that its the oil cooler seals leaking as its positioned at the back of number 4 cylinder and oil would drip around the area of the oil filter.
I would have bet it was the push rod oil seals but if you have changed and checked them then they can be ruled out.
I'd still check again, especially the inner ones.
Here's a possible theory, check the torque of the cylinder head bolts, (especially if it is a recon engine).
It could explain your blowing sound under load and there's a chance that oil is being pushed through the base gaskets of the barrels under load.
There is nothing above the barrels that can leak apart from very rarely the large case nuts and bolts.
Some engine builders coat the 6 main nuts bolts and thick washers in sealant to prevent this.
Good luck.

[maximillion]

Thanks all, it is a recon that was fitted before i got the van - i have the bill for it in my paper work and looks like its only done about 5-6k on it.

Is it possible to torque the heads with the engine in, will the tin come off in situ? I am struggling to put the blow down to the exhaust so that could explain it.

I think i'll steam clean the engine this weekend and watch it while its running... i have a spare set of tube seals just in case.

[gsmoke]

5 or 6k on a recon engine? could well be head nuts shaking loose.
The four lower head bolts are under each rocker cover and easy to get to with the engine in situ.
The upper ones are underneath the cylinder tinware and you can remove these with the engine in if you remove the carbs manifolds etc. Its a bit of
a bugger of a job but can be done. IIrc the worst bit when putting the cylinder tin back on when the engines in the van is the exceptionally fiddly screws at the front.
Like a lot of jobs on these engines, its much easier to do with the engine sat in a warm garage. (or front room in my case!)
Let us know how you get on.

[maximillion]

Been a while waiting for a good weekend but...

Result!

Turns out, after retourqing the head on the suspect side (which was quite loose, got at least half a turn on each nut) my problem turned out to be loose exhaust manifold stud, both bots were loose and one just turned and wouldn't tighten, put a nyloc on as temp fix and all is good...

Thanks all, think the heads need to come off at some point but hopefully after the summer (if we get one)

[81AirCooled]

Thanks for this. I changed my pushrod tube seals yesterday, but afterwards oild was still gushing out and running down the tinware once the engine was warm.

I'll take another look when I get time and see if I have the same issue or if it's indeed the barrels, which I hope to hell it's not.