sounds like the front pulley is throwing oil that is leaking from the front crank oil seal. If you are capable, I would get it sorted asap, and fit a new cambelt and tensioner while you have the covers and pulley off. If you don`t know the history of the cambelt, then I would make it a priority to get it changed asap, a snapped belt will bankrupt you
I would get it done professionally by a VW T25 specialist (not your average main dealer), or at the least a diesel engine specialist, belts are quite cheap, tensioner is similar, labour less than 2 hours I would think. Could cost you £125 ? A snapped belt will total the cylinder head at the minimum
The cambelt according to the previous owners who are VW enthusiasts assure me that the belt was changed in November 2004. does this mean that it needs to be replaced?
Mileage, not age is what you need to go off with the cambelt. I think its 48,000 mile intervals for the VW Td (I may stand to be corrected), so you will probably be well within that mileage if it was done in 2004. You need to be dead certain that it was done though, a snapped belt isn`t any laughing matter when you are stood at the side of the road with a dead motor
Best thing to do is give it a good wash with gunk, rinse with water and then it will be more apparent of the source.......
Tht's what I did and it worked...........
G box main seal, Crankshaft seal and intermediate seal......
Oh and a slightly weeping head gasket.
All fixed now except the weeping head gasket, Lazy ass.
lhd...............................
Ref your oil leak.I have a 1.6td with an annoying oil leak.I replaced the gearbox input oil seal and crankshaft rear seal.This has not cured the problem .I checked the sump for cracks but it seems okay.Its a high miles 1.6 td golf replacement installed engine thats had a very good service history .I am not sure what is causing the leak .I looked at the crankshaft for scoring where the lips of the oil seal runs on but it appears okay and made sure there was a spigot bearing in it.If any one can advice me what else i may need to do.Oh the leak is coming off the steel plate between the flywheel and engine block down to the bottom of the engine.
or as suggested above, clean it all up and watch for first signs.
If some of these engines do expire soemwhat prematurely, it is often head-cracking between the valves. They are basically strong, lube needs keeping fresh and cool, and engine temps down.
Being a diesel and being a 1.6 in a 2 ton vehicle, they tend to cruise under boost and at quite high power a lot of the time.
I have oil in the water tank .And oil leaking off the cylinder head .This is proberly the cause of oil leaking of the bottom of the engine.Its running down the back of the engine and down the steel plate.Worried about taking the cylinder head off not becouse i carnt do it.But it may have a crack or may need a skim and not just replacing a head gasket.
Subject of suitable replacement engine is well covered.The last owner for my T25 used a golf M2 1.6td installed by a local vw garage.Spent £500 quid for a bodged job in my opinium.Spigot bush not fitted in the crank and a second hand gearbox supplied and fitted by them that whines like mad now.I have replaced the gearbox but it looks like i have a engine problems .
I bought a desperately over-priced van a couple of years ago, very nice except the 1.6 diesel (no turbo) had a massive oil leak. Lots of money, seal changed. Still leaking from various other places. Did 33,000 miles, topping up with oil. Someone gave me an old Honda Civic, van has taken a year out. I wanted to replace the engine, and in fact switch to LPG, but this proved to be difficult where I was living (Aberystwyth).
The 1.6 diesel, even with turbo, is rather small for the van by most people's standards. Maybe if it's in optimal condition, but otherwise it's just too slow.
What I wish I'd done when I was in your situation is chuck in a 1.9 turbo diesel, perhaps from an insurance write-off. Or even another 1.6. Rather than faff about fixing leaks. I'm self-employed; the faffing time cost me the money time to earn the cash to get the job sorted...
Incidentally, have you discovered the telescopic nature of the oil filler pipe? It's something of an initiation ritual. Took me about a year.
Good luck!
ps Civic failed it's MoT today. So, where did I put that van...?
Member 1045 – 1986 1.6 n/a Diesel conversion (JK, probably from a Caddy)
