Oil leak - Scirocco 16V

Just taking some notes here, but I've had a consistent oil leak on my

88 16v Scirocco since purchase over a year ago. It always seems to drip down from the oil pan sealing area, but I've already replaced the gasket w/ new oil pan a 3 months ago w/permatex. Found oil was still in that area, found some oil dripping down oil cooler. Replaced cooler-to-flange o-ring and stopped that leak. Still found oil in same area - running from front pan-seal area to the bottom of the oil pan. Rear of pan/block dry. Sides of pan/block dry. I figured it was higher RPM leak, so my GF jumped in with the car parked, revving to about 5k - no evidence of leakage anywhere. Did that a couple of times. The oil collects around the pan/block mating surface downwards, but also collects on the o2-pump hoses in that area. No idea how it gets there.... Only thing I can recon is leak from the dipstick funnel where it meets the block or maybe a constant leak from the pan gasket due to increased blow-by. But compression is well within Bentley specs. WTF is going on? This is the only leak I currently have, and I'm sick of my rocco marking all the parking spaces I've occuppied ........ Any thoughts ????????
Reply to
Willie78
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I would check and clean the valve cover breather (grid inside the valve cover should be free and clean).

Reply to
al

I prefer that hard oil pan gasket over cork and RTV and torque it down correctly.

Common leaks are in the front, or in your case side, of the engine = seals of the crank, intermediate and camshaft seal.

You see no where else higher where this leak could be coming from. Such as even the head gasket?

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

I bought a GTI that had a bunch of RTV in the screen of the oil pickup. I am not generous using RTV on gasket surfaces. Too much is just too much.

On my 2003 Jetta I had to clean the dipstick tube where it inserted in to the block and slather up with RTV. In that case more than enough is fine. I cleaned everything with degreaser and blew out with compressed air. I repeated. I then cleaned with brake or carb cleaner. I slathered the black RTV and let it dry for a day. No more leak from there.

Like Dave >I prefer that hard oil pan gasket over cork and RTV and torque it down >correctly.

Reply to
Jim Behning

Sorry, this should have been a reply to Willie78...mouse was to quick...

Reply to
al

Cound it be coming from the oil pressure sensor? I once had one that leaked oil from around the connectoron top when the pressure was high enough.

Reply to
Bill

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No, both sensors atop the flange both replaced. There's no seepage near the oil cooler now. It all seems to come from either the oil pan mating area or just above (which would be the dip-stick tube area) on the block. I've been under the car (as stated above) with no evidence of leaks. The oil collects from just above the pan mating surface and downward. And I did use an Erlich gasket - no cork junk. Also, I replace the head gasket via Bentley torque specs and have a nice, cool- running motor, no leaks from that. Its all dry above the pan area. If I RTV the dipstick tube area and still have a leak, I'm gonna consider a rebuilt block.... or maybe the web-cam idea at about 7000 RPM on open roads. Either way, I need a solution to this cuz its my daily driver....

Reply to
Willie78

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I had a rediculous mess from my dipstick in my 2003 TDI. RTV as I mentioned. It only takes a hour to clean up and caulk. A day to cure.

Make sure your crankcase breather system is unclogged. I recall some folks posting about cleaning their crankcase screen up on the valve cover fixed oil leaks for them.

Reply to
Jim Behning

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Let's see...The oil dipstick tube is sealed to the block orifice with an o-ring, i would replace that first. On my last year working at the Porsche dealer on P's water cooled cars, I did a number of cam/head cover reseal jobs, and P' issued new cap bolts coated with sealer/locking thread compound on threads AND under the bolt head! I use silicon RTV hi-temp compound on cover/pan bolts as I have to do it to my 88 rocco as well, leaking oil pan too.......just gotta find the time. daily driver is a '87 Jetta. The rocco is a restore whenever-there-is-time project. I think this will do it for you.

Reply to
Regal953

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I'm going to try it.... I just hate the amount of rust and sludge on the front-side of my block. This, in itself, makes find leaks and following trails more difficult. All 3 of my A1-A2 VWs have had a block that looked more like a brown sponge than a nice piece of iron.

Reply to
Willie78

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Is there really an O-ring in there ? Bentley doesn't even touch on this. How is the tube removed then ? With 18 years of buildup, its hard to tell whats going on down there. Thanks to everyone, BTW.....

Reply to
Willie78

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Oh, yeah...crankcase breather for 16V VWs is kinda an afterthought. The block itself has a breather outlet which really doesn't sludge-up too badly, althought it does like to suck oily bits into the intake during maneuvers. I wish it were that simple.....maybe it is and I'm too dumb.

Reply to
Willie78

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