leaking engine :S

peter87 Officially Full-On Dubber

259 posts · joined Mar 2012 · 28 Apr 2012, 11:20 pm

#899287

Hey guys,
We have recently purchased a 1963 and 70 beetle one a deluxe and one a super and they are both leaking oil. The super beetle (1970) is leaking from behind the oil plate. I looked on you tube and it said the engine has to be taken out and something has to be replaced. Due to myself not having any knowledge i have no idea how to do any of this and was wondering if their is a simple way to resolve this problem. If anyone has any ideas can you please post on here. Thanks 🙂

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 29 Apr 2012, 1:07 am

#899291

Hi
First off don't look on You tube to fix Vws..😂

to change the oil with beetles You need to take the drain plug out to drain all the oil... THEN You do need to take the sump plate off to clean the oil strainer inside...
You can clean it with petrol or kerosene or turps etc..
or if its just oil, just wipe it clean...

Now You will need an oil change gasket kit..
these are available at Any VW Parts shop for about $5 or less.
it includes two gaskets, a sump plug sealing copper gasket and 6 copper gaskets for the small cap nuts that hold the sump plug On..

it may not be necessary but I always use Permatex gasket cement on both sides of the gaskets to help stop any oil leaks.

this needs to be done every 3000miles or 5000klms
[this was still recommended by VW mexico in 2003 when they were still making beetles]

cheers

LEE

PS: Now & then You may still get a leak from one of the small cap nuts... it shouldn't be a bad leak..
don't try to tighten the cap nuts too tight as You can pull the thread out of them very easy..
Good idea for about 6 spare cap nuts... nyloc or ordinary nuts let the oil straight thru the threads... LEE

I clean My engine underneath every time I find an oil leak
I use foaming degreaser $4-95 at GoLo or reject shops.
then just hose the oil off... Lee

1 attachment · Log in to view

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 29 Apr 2012, 10:56 am

#899333

By oil plate do you mean the round sump plate on the bottom of the engine?
Or is it dripping where it bolts up to the gearbox?

peter87 Officially Full-On Dubber

259 posts · joined Mar 2012 · 29 Apr 2012, 11:00 am

#899334

Thanks Lee, We changed the oil yesterday and left it to run for around 10-15 mins. their was no oil leaking from the nuts or around the gasket. I put an oil pan underneath the car last night to see if it was leaking and nothing maybe it was just excess oil from drainage or something.

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 · 29 Apr 2012, 4:07 pm

#899359

Why would anyone suggest removing the engine to fix oil leaks from the sump plate?

I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

peter87 Officially Full-On Dubber

259 posts · joined Mar 2012 · 29 Apr 2012, 6:19 pm

#899369

The leak is not coming from the sump but the bolt behind it

1 attachment · Log in to view

peter87 Officially Full-On Dubber

259 posts · joined Mar 2012 · 29 Apr 2012, 6:23 pm

#899371

at the rear of the sump plug you can see some type of bolt like thing behind it this is where the oil is leaking from

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 29 Apr 2012, 6:25 pm

#899372

peter87 wrote:Thanks Lee, We changed the oil yesterday and left it to run for around 10-15 mins. their was no oil leaking from the nuts or around the gasket. I put an oil pan underneath the car last night to see if it was leaking and nothing maybe it was just excess oil from drainage or something.

Hi Peter
the problem is, the engine expands and contacts so much because they get so hot.. and different metals..
so, they can start dripping at any time.. there isn't any pressure there to force the oil out so it just leaks..

Most VWs leak oil...
even mine at times... mostly no..
I had a tappet cover gasket start leaking badly recently...
the gasket would have expanded and contracted with the heat.. then one day it wouldn't expand any longer... lol

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 29 Apr 2012, 6:30 pm

#899375

peter87 wrote:at the rear of the sump plug you can see some type of bolt like thing behind it this is where the oil is leaking from

is the bolt horizontal...? not vertical like the sump plate bolts?
it's where the engine is joined... actually a stud.. with a nut..

and its very common for the engine to leak there too...

it shouldn't be a bad leak but will leave an oil spot wherever the car is parked..

maybe they only leak there when the engine has reached operating temperature?

as mine is oily there at times...

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

peter87 Officially Full-On Dubber

259 posts · joined Mar 2012 · 29 Apr 2012, 6:42 pm

#899378

That is the one 🙂 it is leaking quite a bit when the car is running. and yes the bolt is horizontal. Should i see if the nut is loose? thanks for the help lee