Hi. I recently had an original F block '66 engine completely rebuilt by Archway Imports here in St. Louis. Supposedly they do very good work. The engine runs great, near as I can tell, and has been bored out to 1600 for more power. Fuel consumption seems rather high, but I don't really know what to expect in that regard (I might post on that topic later).
But I'm getting some oil leaking out the bottom casing, not really sure where it's coming from though. Not gushing, just a light coating and slight drips on the undercasing. The rebuild has about 350 miles on it so far, mostly city driving, but some highway miles. Archway made valve adjustments and checked the timing at 250 miles, but I hadn't noticed the oil leaking at that point.
No, do not be concerned! This is standard for air-cooled Bugz, to a certain extent anyway. My professionally restored '67 Bug, which had a
1600 cc installed in it, regularly driped maybe 3 or 4 drops out onto an oil drip plan, strtegically placed, under the engine area. It normally did this just after being "run." Now, if you are leaking CUP FULLS of oil, this is NOT normal, and I'd quickly take it back !!
I've talked with several knowledgeable Bug guys about this issue, including a few mechanics who regularly work on them. The oil drip thing has to do with the "fitting" of the flat surfaces between the various engine pieces in the lower end. The consensus was, if you were to have each "finely machined" to remove every single bit of surface roughness, i.e., try to achieve a "mirror finish," you'd probably cure the "dripz." :-)
One other point I might mention that might be of interest to some: I had a Gene Berg "drop" oil pan installed on my Bug. It raised the overall engine oil capacity from (about) 3 1/4 qts up to 5 1/2 gts. My theiry was that the engine would likely run cooler and last longer. I found out that IF I filled the engine ALL the way up to the "full" mark on the dipstick, which now represented about 5 1/2 qts, that the engine, when running, would throw out oil all over the inside of the deck lid. No trace could ever be found of WHERE it was coming from. The "cure" was to NOT fill the new pan over 5 qts. I filled it so that it read about 1/2 qt LOW on the dip stick and there was no more "spraying" of oil out onto the inside of the deck lid. A mechanic said to me that: "with all that oil in there its reaching parts of the engine that never were reached before, and thats why it leaks." He also said: The "Gene Berg" oil pan has NO 'baffle' in it. If it had a baffle down the middle, it might not do that."
Good luck! If you would like to see some old VW "ad art" and find links to 1000's of Bug sites, visit my web page:
If you use the correct sealant there is no reason a fresh rebuild should leak. To do the job right more than one type sealer is needed(according to those in the know).
Loctite 510 is a flange sealant which is often recommended, also by producers of aircooled engines today(Piaggio). I have personally used it with success on several engines, very easy to apply. Permatex is another quality product. Just make sure you understand that both these brands have a wide range of products, and you need to pick the correct one for your application.
The biggest problem with rebuilders of aircooled engines today is the fact that they simply ignore what the factory ones specified for sealants, and simply use what is available. The price of Loctite/Permatex products are also significantly higher than your average FLAPS universal sealant.
I've found that the oil screen plate (where the drain plug is) loosens up as the new gasket gets compressed over time. The dead giveaway is a drip of oil hanging on each bolt. When I change the gasket during an oil change, I tighten them up, and then come back a week later and snug them up again. If I forget it'll leak for sure. Check it but, but be careful. The bolts break or strip easily. Use a ratchet with only one finger wrapped around it at the top and turn until it starts to hurt. Ok well thats what I do anyway.
My bus does not leak oil... most of the time anyway. But hey, you know what they say... be concerned if it's NOT leaking cause that means you're OUT of oil..
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.