my bug is a 76cab with stock engine.

ok here's my problem, driving home from DOVW approximately 100km or more away, when i got home as i slowed down about to stop i could already see a trail of oil. i stopped turned engine off and checked underneath all the oil started flowing out, well what was left of it. lifted the oil stick and there was nothing there!!! Just put fresh oil in and new oil seal kit! Engine was running perfect! Can anyone tell me what's wrong. Ive been driving it to work since then, 25km away highway cruising and its fine, i drive it one day to work a week and w/ends and oil stays in!

Any help would be great.
Arvin

did it come out of the oil filter?

it first looked like it did come out from the plate(sump)...but now i think it might have come out from gearbox? or just in front of the sump, which means gearbox? maybe gearbox seal is worn and can't handle the pressure or heat??? could it be????

rear main seal ?

yes it could be the main seal, il look into that? i don't really have a mechanic i can take it to at the moment, i cant get a hold of him...its hard to tell because like i said it only happens on long trips when the oil really heats up...

EEEk it may be a dislocated oil gallery welsh plug behind the flywheel due to a cracked case...

i have one of those and its been patched up for several months , but now she has cracked in the front near the front pulley and and oil sender switch , time to remove and toss and replace with a new motor and start fresh..

a cracked case doesn't sound good...but its running well, even fuel consumption is really good with the fresh oil...however there was about an 8cm diameter of oil underneath when i checked it before i left work today...does anyone else leave this much oil?

dude whate do you want to hear ?
its time to pull the donk ! !

It could of been the oil breather pipe kinked in which case the engine pressure would increase and then the oil would be forced out any way it can. The first place would be behind the pulley which then distributes the oil neatly all around the engine bay. Then after that the oil seals beneath the oil cooler or behind the flywheel. When this has happened to me (only twice in nearly forty years) once the pipe has been sorted out there has been no recurrence of oil leaks just the remaining pockets of oil taking their own time getting out leaving the odd spot on the ground.

^ what the old dude said.

I was once stuck in brissy summer traffic and smoke started pissing out of the kombi. Looked and oil everywhere. No holes, from inside tinwear. Pulled into volksrestore with my mood as hot as my oil and Mathew walked out rolling a smoke, borrowed my zippo and lit it. Lifted the lid and reached back to a breather pipe that had got real hot, kinked. straightened it, said that would be it and went back inside, the smartarse Fixed it. Lesson learnt. Did it once more a few days later and I got to it and replaced it.

I was dreading the old oil gallery pop out but thinking about it after I was not so steamy in the head, the hotter the car the thinner the oil so it would most likely pop when cold. If the engine is a bit old with blowby breathers make a huge difference.

Like the time I pulled a celica engine for a big end job that was actually a cannister under the inlet manifold with a broken mount....

cheers for all the feedback...i have a few things to go by now...so just got to get hold of the mechanic...