Hi all,

If you have an older vanagon do replace this o-ring.  As mentioned there was a modification made sometime after the '86 model year to a better o-ring.  I also had some oil leak out in real cold weather but then it would stop leaking.  BUT the o-ring eventually just cracked and no way it was going to hold oil.   And besides always happening late at night, it happens at zero degrees - not much fun.

Also those two hoses to the oil cooler should be replaced.  Trying to get the oil cooler off will pretty much ruin any dried old hoses.  I had one of these hoses burst a week after having the new o-ring replaced by a friendly, but not vw aware mechanic.

Kerry
'86 syncro, 176K
kstanley@cas.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff and Tamara Nelson [mailto:ramjeff@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 7:10 PM
To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: Leaky Oil cooler 89 GL

I neglected to change out the 20W50 in my 86 before a trip to the
midwest this fall.  When we got some cold weather, I had a gusher from
the top of the cooler for a few seconds every start.  Changing the oil
to 10W40 fixed it.  I was thinking the high oil pressure blew past the
seal on start-up.  Is this right and if so, should I bother to replace
the seal?

JN

KENWILFY@AOL.COM wrote:
>
> There is an o-ring on top of the cooler than is known to fail in cold
> weather.