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Adjustable push rod tubes.
alien8 - March 31st, 2009 at 01:04 AM

I noticed that I have a couple of bent push rod tubes, one of which leaks a little. Does anyone have an opinion on the spring loaded tubes? or should I pull the heads and replace with stock tubes?

vw54 - March 31st, 2009 at 06:09 AM

they work well to fix a leaking tube easy to fit

but dont fit all 8 of them if that the case pull the engine and fix it properly cause it will be leaking else where

Craig Torrens - March 31st, 2009 at 10:45 AM

the aluminium SCAT ones work very well........... I have three motors with them and non leak.

fish26 - April 1st, 2009 at 10:02 AM

Quote:

the aluminium SCAT ones work very well........... I have three motors with them and non leak.


X 2 never had a problem.

matberry - April 1st, 2009 at 02:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by fish26
Quote:

the aluminium SCAT ones work very well........... I have three motors with them and non leak.


X 2 never had a problem.


x3 Scat Gold or the Jay Cee, sorry Dave , but I'd say replace as many as you want with these.

alien8 - April 1st, 2009 at 03:37 PM

Cool, so the scat tubes seem to be pretty good. I was thinking of replacing the lot at the same time. It would be a lot easier if I didn't have to pull the heads.Thanks all.

vw54 - April 1st, 2009 at 03:58 PM

if all the tubes are leaking then i bet theres more leaks else where on the engine

alien8 - April 1st, 2009 at 06:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vw54
if all the tubes are leaking then i bet theres more leaks else where on the engine


The engine got rebuilt 6 months ago and he put the old tubes back on. Its been sitting unused for three of those months. A couple of the tubes were bent and slightly leak around the seals. Just thinking about replacing them all at once.

colonel mustard - April 1st, 2009 at 06:57 PM

why would you put old tubes back on... its not like they cost much.....

matberry - January 15th, 2011 at 10:47 PM

George at Classic has the Scat at a very good price
or Rod Penrose may have either

68AutoBug - January 16th, 2011 at 01:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by alien8
I noticed that I have a couple of bent push rod tubes, one of which leaks a little. Does anyone have an opinion on the spring loaded tubes? or should I pull the heads and replace with stock tubes?



the adjustable tubes are for repair purposes only...
the original thin VW push rod tubes are made so they can expand and contract and the air blowing over them helps cool the oil..

I always buy new tubes....
and paint them so they don't rust...
the tube seals need to have permatex or similar gasket cement on both sides of the seals...
if the seals crack... the permatex stops the leak...

some of the seals don't last long at all....
last ones i used were silicon...

You can straighten the bent tube with your hand...
they bend very easily... also You can try cleaning the leak with spray on foaming degreaser ... hose off and dry
then wipe some silastic around the seal/tube where it was leaking... if the surface is clean the silastic will stick ok..

or just replace the leaking one... and get a spare...
replace the seals too...

LEE

matberry - January 16th, 2011 at 08:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 68AutoBug
the adjustable tubes are for repair purposes only...



Lee, this is true for the early style of adjustable pushrod tubes, they were designed as a repair tube, but the more recently designed o-ring sealed, alloy, good quality adjustable pushrod tubes that are now available are perfectly useable and will last many refits, for whatever reason.

Newt - January 19th, 2011 at 10:18 PM

Permaseal on the O rings wouldnt have been my first thought.

Any one else use gue on the seals?

Newt

barls - January 19th, 2011 at 10:23 PM

you would need to use one that doesnt set 100% as you need the flex to cope with the expansion of the engine with temp variation.

matberry - January 19th, 2011 at 10:33 PM

I polish the alloy and don't use any sealer

1303Steve - January 19th, 2011 at 10:39 PM

Hi

I don't know about anybody else but I always put the pushrod tube seals on dry.

Steve

vwo60 - January 20th, 2011 at 09:42 AM

i always lubricate the orings, they need to be able to move to allow for the expansion and contraction of the engine, i also fit the push rod tube seals dry as they need no sealant on them. never had a leak.

kieranweston - January 20th, 2011 at 02:18 PM

I installed them dry, previous owner had stock tubes on covered in red sealant, i fished a ton of it out of the oil strainer last weekend, even the push rods had it all over the ends.

Still leaking though, Im thinking its the dodgy Empi tubes, might try pressing the seals in if nothing else works

clinker42 - January 21st, 2011 at 10:16 AM

I built an engine awhile ago, the previuos person had coated every seal and every tube with 5 bottles of Permatex. Biggest piece of crap work I had ever seen. Cleaned it all up, as Matt said, light polish of the seal seats and I installed 8 of those spring tubes and its been perfect ever since.

I reckon they are the best thing around.

68AutoBug - January 21st, 2011 at 01:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by matberry
Quote:
Originally posted by 68AutoBug
the adjustable tubes are for repair purposes only...



Lee, this is true for the early style of adjustable pushrod tubes, they were designed as a repair tube, but the more recently designed o-ring sealed, alloy, good quality adjustable pushrod tubes that are now available are perfectly useable and will last many refits, for whatever reason.


THat is good news Matt...

MY first seals I installed with Permatex on both sides of the seals and they were on the engine maybe a couple of years but the car wasn't going... and they all cracked badly
but no leakage because the permatex was doing its job..
[non hardening permatex - used to be called aviation jointing cement ..] so I know that if the seals are crappy ones the permatex will stop any leaks..

these new o ring type push rods sound good...

cheers

Lee