Yep, it's me again ! !

I have an oil leak coming from the area where the oil filter meets the engine, there appears to be some kind of oil cooler set up that I can see. I took filter off that was over tightened to buggery and checked for cracks,loose rubber hose etc and put a new filter on at the correct tightness and still there is an oil leak both when it is running and when it is not?? WTF
Cheers
Steve

The oil cooler is the same as used on the earlier T3's, it has an O ring between it and the block. You should be able to undo the big nut and slide the oil cooler off with the coolant hoses still connected.....just, then replace the O ring and you're set.

Beauty thanks, it does however look as though it is dripping from the top(thread end) of the filter and runs all the way down the outside of the filter, the "O" ring you mention would be beneath this I think, your thoughts??
Ta
Steve

The Oring goes hard and the oil leaks down the cooler and onto the filter

Its not the Oring on the filter if thats what you mean.

Cool I will give that a try and see if that helps, ta heaps.

OKay heres another version of the same problem.
T3 has the same setup yes. The other day ok December 07, i noticed a small amunt of coolant running down my oil filter.
A couple of days later i gave the engine a good degrease and cleaned her all up nice. When hosing degreaser off above oil cooler a rush of coolant streamed down to the ground, so i hit it again, same thing more coolant, and again but this third time of hosing around oil cooler no more coolant leak.
Following week still no coolant leak.
And this weekend still no coolant leak.
The first time was a decent flush of colour, which really stressed me becasue the missus mentioned the kombi was runnning a bit hot, but then again she is always on at me about the temperature gauge being up the wrong end.

Sorry i digress; ok small amount of coolant loss from expansion tank but only about the same as was noticed when i washed off the degreaser.
Any thoughts??
Besides keep an eye on that one....
r

The T3's have two small hoses on the top of the cooler that rot with age, check there first for a coolant leak.

Yes was my same thought at the time, sorry probably shouldve added already checked that angle.
I have AC so a visual is all i could do at the time, AC compressor is in the way over the top view and everything is in the way underneath. But even so there is no coolant loss as of today.
Yes i am planning on removing the hoses and giving them a good look over, but visually the fluid was coming from the top of the oil cooler. Those 2 hoses are a pain in the arse to do...
As hoses sit lower than the top of oil cooler i would think that the said hoses would leak under pressure(donethatcheck)
There is only one answer replace the lot oil cooler o ring + both shit fight hoses, why VW designed it that way i will never understand.

Wish - I discovered last night the exact same problem with my '89 T3 you describe above - coolant dripping from the lowest point of the oil cooler and from bottom of the engine. Hard to know exactly where the leak is coming from as I can't get a good look in there but hoses to the oil cooler appear in good condition. Can someone tell me if the casing of the oil cooler itself has been known to crack and leak? Or is a busted seal in the water pump a more common occurrence? Any other possibles I should consider?

Also - when i finally get the problem sorted out I want to start using the G12+ coolant as it seems to be much easier to get hold of than G11. Could someone please suggest some simple steps for a novice to follow when flushing out the cooling system....ie. which hoses best to remove to drain system? What volume is likely to be needed to refill?

My problem is sort of the same as yours in that i have a leak somewhere in or around the oil cooler.
The water pump u speak of is toward the front of the block on the left hand side as u lean opver the motor from rear of car.
Cracking the oil cooler casing is a possibility but in saying that anything is possible; The collant will always drip off the bottom off the oil cooler in this case as itis the lwest point. I have not lost an extravagent amount of fluid so i am not particularly worried. Been checking the expansion tank and it hasnt really lost any great amount of fluid.

Either way i suggest for yourself Busfullofkids; that when u purchase the G12 coolant purchase the two smaller hoses on the water pump ??Partnumbers??
5Ltrs of coolant is needed then the rest is water but if u live in a hotter area then maybe 6litres is more advisable. And some or 12+ltrs of demineralised water.
Next is buy yourself some good oil 10/50Penrite is good gear, oil filter and the appropriate O Ring for the oil cooler.
Now plan a day of action, But if like me daily driver, bite the bullett and do it when u can. Allow a day to do everything as worst case is u may finish near dark.
Firstly dump Oil
remove oil filter and u will see the appropriate 17/19mm nut that holds oil cooler in place pry off with some effort and replace O Ring a little bit of water soluable lube is good i said a little bit.
Replace Oil cooler taking note so as to not twist the O ring u just replaced, and retighten oil cooler.
Finish Oil Change, Oil Filter, Oil and have a break...
Flushing the old coolant takes many different angles some do it different to others. If u have car ramps shove the front end up on them now. Will come in handy when refilling the rad and lines fron front end. Force feeding.
Me i drop all the main hoses off i can making sure there is no crap left in there.
Remove the small coolant drain plug from the underside of the right head, need bentleys but i think from memory it is about mid center of right underside of head. Maybe 8mm or smaller. Possibly even a hex key cant remember.
Remove sparewheel. Drop the two water heate hoses off use caution as u dont have the luxury of breaking something here.
Where the hoses are clamped on is where u twist and pull at not below or u will break somethiing....
Ok get hose shove up and begin flushing dont stop until clear water is flowing.
Whilst hose is doing it's thing remove expansion tank and water resovoiur if grotty clean them out.
Still not sure if u got all the colant?
Drop the water pipe off the main branch or t piece LHS of motor near firewall. See anything tha is not supposed to b there flush it out.
All clear??
Put all water lines and resovoiurs back in place.
Ask me if u need to kknow how to force the water and coolant back in.