Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all,
Just to let everyone know I've taken the van to Beetle repairs under the Itchen Bridge, Soton, to get another quote on the leak. He reckons its the push rods and the oil cooler..for which you have to drop the engine. He quoted £600 plus parts, and did say that it may not cure the problem, also saying that we are on our way to needing a re-con engine. So seems a pretty honest guy, and seems to know what he is doing. He said that we could be ok for a long while, but......
So I reckon we'll be sealing up the push rods and changing rocker cover gaskets, and fuel pump gasket, and starting to save for a re-con engine from Elite..(if they are as good as people say!)
Wish me luck!! Katie

Hi, I had oil cooler seals replaced at a cost of £160, cured main leak. I also replaced push rod tubes and seals but ended up having to smear outer ends with silicone sealer. I now only have very minimal oil leak (poss fuel pump gasket) several hundred miles later! Total cost more like £250, although you may have been quoted for the actual oil cooler as well. Good luck.

Oh well that sounds a lot more do-able!! thanks then. P.s by the way Beeetle Repairs Garage are complete C***'s.....they only charged me £60 for looking at it, (£49.50 an hours labour) and for putting some oil in!!! He only had to say it was low on oil and I could of done it for nothing!! Had he looked in the back of the bus and he would of seen a big bottle of the stuff.

My jaw dropped for about 5 mins when my husband told me after picking it up. Can't bloody trust no-one these days...everyone out for their £60 quids worth!

He did explain to the Hubby that the main problem...(causing the seals to leak) is pressure in the crank case (breathing heavy) due to rings letting by gasses into the crankcase. The gasses have to find some where to go and blow out throught the weakest points..the seals.

Robbing B*****ds. The place I had mine done was in York, it would be cheaper to drive up here and have it done at my specialists! anyway, if you want more in depth info on what I did with push rod seals I will happily send you a pm as soon as poss. Good luck, I know it's a real pain in the a**e.

Yes please to the pm kthla, my hubby would like to know how to get to the push rod seals.
(Not sure if you read the updated version of my last message, I edited in some more info.)
All I can say is I wish I lived in York!!

Push rod tube seals are not too difficult on these engines. The tubes can be removed out thro the heads once the rocker covers, rocker assembly and push rods have been removed. There's also a weird spring-retainer to keep the pushrod tubes in place. The tubes can be sticky and may need a gentle twisting action aided by a molegrip to ease them out. Clean everything up, replace seals and reinsert with a smear of grease. Tap home with a suitable socket and reassemble.

yeah i have had the same problem with mine since i got it, Oil leaking out the push rod seals. I have since changed mine which is a pretty easy task, and believe me i had limited/no knowledge of working on cars before i did it.

As suggested so some semi hardening gasket sealant when you fit the new ones just to make sure it still does not leak.

if all else fails just discconnet the heater control box and that will temp solve the prob of oil in the cab, after all we are having all this great summer weather, who needs heat