Common Oil Leaks

[mpgscott 0]

Hi,

Have recently purchased a 1994 VR6 Passat with 98K on it and FSH, and there appears to be a small engine oil leak as i noticed it on the garage floor. Now i think its engine oil as over the last 300 miles it has gone down ever so slightly. It is dripping off the plate between engine and gearbox.

Can you tell me what are the normal oil leak points as i cant easily get under the car.

Also the steering seems to judder at standstill if you move the wheel, fluid level is normal. It happens if you move the steering wheel ever so slightly any ideas??

Thanks

Mark

[blackmagicvr 7]

the oil leak could either be rear main oil seal located behind the clutch (gearbox out)or the sump gasket,look at the other side of the sump to see if it is wet also.

[VR6_Absy 0]

yep sounds like your crankshaft oil seal is leaking, you may find your clutch will get contaminated with oil and start leaking. It's a big job to replace, gearbox out and flywheel off. You might as well do your guides at same time

[mpgscott 0]

Thanks for the reponses,

Had a squeeze under the car and a quick look and the oil appears to be comming from higher up above the oil filter sort of location and simply dripping down so do you reckon its still the crankshaft oil seal?? Clutch at present feels spot and it dosent look like its a new leak, looks to have been like this for a while.

Thanks again Mark

[VR6Rich 3]

Is it leaking from the oil housing where it meets the block then?

[antera309 3]

Check that it isn't coming from the oil cooler (the square aluminium block just to the right of the oil filter housing with the 2 rubber pipes attached). I had a leak there once.

[VR6_Absy 0]

have a close look at the pressure switches you can lose a lot of oil from them. I've just done mine after finding a big pool in the garage

[cadguy77 0]

I've had oil cooler and pressure switch leak on seperate occasions

[mpgscott 0]

Well have just done an oil change and on refilling it is coming from the oil cooler as i cleaned it all up and ran the engine and you can watch it come from the bottom section above what i am imagining is the oil level switch which is beside this. Do you just have to undo the 24mm socket at the end of the oil cooler for it to come off?? is there an O'ring here thats likly to have gone??

Just a bummer that i have just done the oil change as well!!

Thanks

Mark

[VR6_Absy 0]

There's 2 seals, outer and inner against the block

[antera309 3]

Well have just done an oil change and on refilling it is coming from the oil cooler as i cleaned it all up and ran the engine and you can watch it come from the bottom section above what i am imagining is the oil level switch which is beside this. Do you just have to undo the 24mm socket at the end of the oil cooler for it to come off??

Yes, it's just one 24mm bolt that holds the cooler to the engine. There are 2 rubber seals - one inside the cap that forms part of the retaining bolt, and another between the oil cooler and the engine.

[cadguy77 0]

richievr can sort you out with the seals

[mpgscott 0]

Cheers,

Have managed to get a couple of seals from local VW garage only a couple of quid.

One last question how tight should the 24mm nut/bolt be?

Many thanks

Mark