Simple question , I am sure there will be lots of opinions and different answers.
How much oil does your beetle drop ? and .. How much is acceptable before I should start worrying and considering doing something about it??
I'm driving mine regularly now and I notice its dropping a bit here and there.. small black drops.. I am currently testing her out, I placed a clean piece of cardboard underneath it tonight and I'll see how much its left over night.
I'll post a pic of the droppings tomorrow on here, I'm interested to hear peoples thoughts.
Ben.
helbus ·
The Beetle did drop a single drip after running. If left cold for a week, no more drips came, just the one drip after parking.
When this became a circle the size of a CD, I had the rear main seal and oil cooler seals replaced.
It stayed dry for a couple months, now the single drip after a hot run is back.
The Subaru engine in the bus has not even had a drip of oil hanging under it in the 5 years it has been in.
Paulc1964au ·
Mine has a single drop as well which is from the rear main seal, I think a small oil leak from the rear main is more the norm and not leaking
helbus ·
That single drip is probably more aptly named 'controlled seepage'
68AutoBug ·
benjicon wrote:Simple question , I am sure there will be lots of opinions and different answers.
How much oil does your beetle drop ? and .. How much is acceptable before I should start worrying and considering doing something about it??
I'm driving mine regularly now and I notice its dropping a bit here and there.. small black drops.. I am currently testing her out, I placed a clean piece of cardboard underneath it tonight and I'll see how much its left over night.
I'll post a pic of the droppings tomorrow on here, I'm interested to hear peoples thoughts.
Ben.
Most beetles do seep a bit of oil which is OK...
and may leave a drop under the car each time You drive it...
Oil Leaks that should NOT be ignored... ---
tappet covers leaking....
If the sump is leaking or the drain plug...
You can't do much about it until You change the oil....
and always use an engine oil change gasket set...
not expensive and will usually stop leaks...
push rod tube seals leaking.....
depends on the size of the leak... whether its cost effective...
if oil is pouring out... naturally You would fix it...
if its only a drop now & then... leave it..?
best to check with a piece of cardboard under the engine...
this will show if its leaking while the engine isn't going...
You should also check with the engine running... to make sure oil isn't being pumped out....
I spray under My engine and gearbox with foaming degreaser
if anything looks oily..
then hose it off...
under My gearbox is usually oily although no drips present...
no engine oil drips at the moment...
tappet covers are the worst offenders..
as You cannot tell whether they are going to leak... lol
I always spray inside My tappet covers with foaming degreaser
and hose them and clean them...
I then silastic a gasket in the cover..
when its just about dry I grease the other side of the gasket
with about 5mm of heavy grease...
and carefully fit the tappet cover to the engine...
Probably the worst thing You can do is block the engine crankcase breather ... [vapour hose]
Oil will then come out of wherever it can...
usually out from behind the pulley and dipstick....
it will continue until the breather is unblocked....
LEE
at the moment I'm a NON DRIPPER.... lol
waveman1500 ·
Mine only drips from the rocker cover seals, which I know should be replaced but I haven't been bothered to do so up until now. Today when I went to get in the car the drip tray underneath was half-full of petrol!! My fault, I had taken the top bowl off the fuel pump and put the seal back wrong. All fixed now.
68AutoBug ·
I had a strong smell of petrol today with My Beetle..
I couldn't see any leaks... but when I ran My hand over the stainless steel mesh covered fuel line that goes thru the tinware
I got petrol on My hand... but I couldn't find the leak...
Went for a drive... then couldn't find any petrol...
until I moved the rubber fuel hose that comes off the fuel pressure regulator and goes to the carburetor..
fuel squirted out.... so I found the problem.
tightened the hose clamp.... no more leakage...
LEE
Also checked under the engine.... no leaks... lol
benjicon ·
Hey guys,
Thanks for the replies, thats exactly what I wanted to hear.
I did an experiment last night .. placed a clean piece of cardboard under the "drip zone" and 12 hours later ( this morning) I went and checked it.. took a pic .. Have a look and tell me what you think.
(The right angle stain is like that cause it dripped and ran down the slope the card was on.)
The car has not been driven for a long time, so I am guessing this is the gaskets and seals or something .. I'll be keeping a close eye on it .. Let me know your thoughts .
Ben.
matberry ·
I'd say you have mild leaks from pushrod tubes/ lower head studs, and rear main seal. Not enough to panic yet, just make sure you always check your oil.
benjicon ·
matberry wrote:I'd say you have mild leaks from pushrod tubes/ lower head studs, and rear main seal. Not enough to panic yet, just make sure you always check your oil.
Thats reassuring to hear, I will do another test tonight as suggested, after I get home and the motor is warm.. Put a new piece of card down, I'll see if more oil comes out while its running to make sure this is the full extent of the leaking... Cheers 🙂
aaustin92 ·
im also experiencing a bit of leakage will do the cardoard test tonight. how much is it to fix and how difficult is it, if it is the pushrod tube seals or whatever?
waveman1500 ·
Changing your pushrod tube seals requires the heads to be taken off, which will be much easier with the engine out. They're not expensive though if you can do the work yourself.
Joel ·
there are ways around that these days with the new springloaded tubes that are designed to be fitted with the engine in situ,one of my old bugs had them, they work well if you get quality ones as they always keep tension on the seals.
Anyone who says there engine is leak free after 5 or more years untouched is bullshiitting unless its a garage/trailer queen.
Its just nature of the design with the expansion and contraction rates the pushrod seals are the main offenders.
My old boss who ran the service department of the dealership here for 26 years said they all were leaking by the time they were a few years old
helbus ·
Was it part of a standard major 100,000km service to remove the Beetle engine for a 'reseal', being the removal of the heads and new seals fitted throughout, including pushrod tubes, rear main, oil cooler etc.
waltermitty ·
Nothing to worry about , he is just marking his territory. LOL Mitchell
baghall ·
I'm with waltermitty, just marking territory! Well at least thats what I tell people when they ask.
vw54 ·
none in over 3 years
benjicon ·
Thanks for all the replies guys,
I had a look under the car last night, after having it out for about 40 mins city driving, then parked it in the garage, while it was warm and running I had my wife rev it a bit while I looked under the back for any squirts or oil flows, pleased to say there were none, not even any drips and I was looking for a good couple of minutes. I'll just keep an eye on the size of the drip puddles and a close eye on the oil levels as I keep driving her. I think its doing pretty well for a 53yo motor 🙂
Joel ·
One single drop of oil on the ground goes a bloody long way and usually ends up about 20c coin size
Pollywaffle ·
Returning the oil back to it's home in the ground!
If the oil dropping is annoying, you can get the oil additive called "engine stop leak". It's a bit of a gimmick but it actually did help my leak which is caused my a head gasket. I still haven't replaced the gasket and it barely leaks since adding the stuff.
vlad01 ·
I had a broken push rod tube which leaked about quarter to half a L a week. I put in that stop leak stuff and it stopped it down to a drip or 2 every couple of days.
lol it actually worked, though now knowing more about oil technology I wouldn't use it again. who knows what they put in it. It makes the oil stringy like glue or melted cheese. That is how it clogs the leaks 🙅🙄
Pollywaffle ·
Yeah, once it reacts with the air, it solidifies (kind of like how a scab on your skin works). Those stringy parts you saw shouldn't have gone back through the oil =/
vlad01 ·
No, i meant the additive is like that in properties. Its very drawn and glue like. I you touch it, it draws out like cheese or glue, which ever way you prefer to see it. 😀