I'll start off by saying my van has started to leak oil before this. But this was a surprise.

I gave my van the usual treatment of running the engine for a while and reversing it down the driveway and parking it back in the carport yesterday.
I then killed the engine nd wandered off to do a couple of things. Something brought me back into the driveway a few minutes later. That was when I spotted a nice thick puddle about the size of a sheet of A4.

After doing a rushed cleanup job on the driveway I had a look for the source.
It seemed to be running down near the case half seam at the back (as in the back of the car, where the pullies, fan etc attach).

Up until this morning I was convinced that it was the crankshaft oil seal. Then I realised something.

While it was running I didn't see a big puddle, and there was no oil trail from when I reversed and drove back. So it either sprung a massive leak in the last few seconds of running, or it came out after it stopped.

If the latter is the case then it couldn't be the crankshaft oil seal, could it? I mean the oil would have to be insanely overfull (which it isn't) to escape from there when the engine is off.
Besides that the only other culprit I can think of is the oil pump. But that seems weird too. Why would it hold the oil under pressure when its running and then let it through once it has stopped?

I'll be investigating this at the first chance I get, but I'd really like to get some feedback on the most likely culprit.

Thanks.

Hey mate,

Have you considered the oil cooler or one of it's seals?
This could explain the perceived delay...the oil takes longer to travel down the case and past the tinware before it finally ends up in a puddle on the floor.
Happened to me once on a type 3 motor...
Good luck getting it sorted.

Cheers, T

I'm not sure if it is _the_ oil leak, but I pulled the aircleaner off and noticed all over and around the oil sensor was very oily.
So I pulled out the rubber seal around it and started up the van. Very quickly I saw a bead of oil form around the blade connector contact. Because of the angle, vibration, and preexisting oiliness It was hard for me to see the rate which it was escaping. I daubed it up with a bit of paper and it was back nearly instantly.

I'll have to get another sender and then see if the leak persists.

I'm hoping it's nothing to do with the oil cooler seals. I don't want to have to go through the hassle of pulling everything apart to get to it.

edit:
So where's the best place to get a replacement idiot light sender without being gouged?

make sure the sender is the type for a vw as these are not tapered if you screw in a tapered sender you WILL SPLIT THE CASE AT THE SENDER HOLE causing more trouble
good luck

Believe me mate, that's the first thing I'll be checking. The motor may have various grievances, but the case is good.

This is the second VW oil sender I've had spring a leak at the electrical contact. Just unlucky I guess.

Yes, I have had oil senders leak also...
I've had a few of them...
I've never come across one leaking back in the 60s and 70s...

Maybe the newer replacements can't stand 28 PSI...

or maybe its the Oil pressure valve sticking...
allowing high oil pressures in the sender unit...

I've had a similar although very minor leak from the LHS of the engine but I degreased the engine before taking it out...
so, I have no idea where it came from...
but it only leaked with the engine going....
and never left any puddles under the engine...

Lee

I'm wondering about the origins of the leak. The oil sender fits the description, but it's a lot of oil to come from there. The rubber thingy being saturated and containing a pool of oil is the biggest indicator I can see.

It'll be another day at least until I can get to the shops to get the sender.

Can I ask what method you use for degreasing the engine? The vans engine is pretty clean really, no gunk on it. But I will have to give it a thorough clean to pinpoint the leak. I usually just go nuts with spray degreaser and then hose it. Is there another way?