Club 80-90 Forums

Hi , got a CU Aircooled and problem with oil leaking. Hada small leak for a while , but now is leaking a fair bit once engine warm. Oil appears to be coming from above the push rod tubes , poss oil cooler?
Any ideas what might be cause and how to go about solving it?
Can it be sorted with engine in place or will it need to come out?

Sounds like it may be crank pressure. If you remove the dip stick do you get vapor or oil pumping out of the dip stick tube? If this is the case, you may have a problem with piston rings or valve guides. Or it may simply be the crank case breather bunged up . I hope it is the latter.

Or just leaks generally. ChickenKoop has the same engine and had smelly heaters as a result (much to his wifes annoyance). We just pulled the engine out and replaced all suspect gaskets - bit of fiddling with the pushrod tube seals but he's leak free now. When seals start to perish, they generally all start to pack up at the same time.

he's right the smell was bad, re gasket it, it worked wonders for me, and saved the ear bashing,

And after we'd regasketted ChickenKoop, we did his engine

Thanks - looks like it engine out and lots of new gasgetts

Oil cooler a bit of a pig to get to as its under all the tinware but this too has a couple of rubber seals. Its sometimes a good excuse for a de-grit, repaint (rusty tinware) and regasket. Check there are no leaks from base of barrels too - they can sometimes be a cause of leaks, though you'll need a piston ring compressor (or two jubilee clips screwed end to end) to get the barrels back on after. Not a HARD job as long as you plod along over a mug of tea.

Hi just got worse. I claened off all the gunk underneath with some engine cleaner and now have oil warning light glowing when engine running. It is not as bright as when ignition is turned on. Was going to take bus to garage to get leak/seals fixed, but not now with oil light on.
Any ideas?

May just have created a non-existent or faulty connection to the sensor during cleaning. Pity you don't live near me and chicknKoop I reckon we could drop engine and regasket in a day.

Its not THAT bad a job to do yourself to be honest. Two-ton trolley jack to support it whilst you undo the four bolts holding it in (plus petrol pipe, throttle and cables), pull engine, put it at working height (workmate is good) then regasket. Haynes manual is ok if you're not up to speed.

had a similar problem, oil filter got replaced, still leaks a bit around the oil filter but it is just a teaspoon of oil every day.

Engine is a 1981 CU btw