>which would indicate a holed piston

I don't think so!

Clive
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Drillock" <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 4:24 AM
Subject: Re: blowing oil]

> I'd say you are pushing that littlediesel engine too hard. These are
> pretty good engines in light vehicles but they can have short lives in
> Westys where they have to be wound up just to get down the road.
>
> A likely cause of the intermittant oil loss is blow by pressure in the
> case. Cleaning the oil breather in the valve cover may help but try
> slowing down before you get a big surprise. A top end rebuild might fix
> it for a while but slowing down some would be cheaper
>
> The route for the oil loss is often through the dipstick/filler cap. The
> blow by pressurizes the inside of the block and forces the oil up the
> filler tube and out the top. VW had a supplimental breather kit
> available for these vehicles but they were not a cure-all. As you run at
> high speed, oil works it's way up the breather system into the intake
> until it gets partially blocked and you see the extra oil being burned
> in the exhaust. Then the continuing pressure looks for another way out.
> The oil filler tube connects below oil level in the pan and the dipstick
> releases pressure while the oil climbs the tube. Once the oil fills the
> tube it blows out rapidly all over the back of the van. How oily is the
> iside of the license plate door?
>
> Mark
>
> Harmon Seaver wrote:
>
> >   I've got something weird going on with the '82 diesel westy I just
bought. I
> >had drained the oil and refilled with exact amount, drove around town a
bit, not
> >smoke, no drips from leaks. So today I filled it up with fresh fuel and a
jug of
> >injector cleaner, went out on the freeway to check it out, also to check
out the
> >speedo which I fixed, and found I could run a steady 65-67 top end so did
that
> >for about 4 miles, during which I noticed some blue (maybe black or grey,
hard
> >to tell when it's all behind you) smoke for awhile but which quit after a
couple
> >miles. When I stopped, there was that nasty black film all over the rear
end
> >again, but when I wiped it, it seemed almost more like black water than
oil.
> >   So, since I wanted a longer run, and it wasn't smoking anymore, I
washed off
> >the rear end and hit the freeway again. Checked the oil first, it was
right up
> >to the max mark. Went about 15 miles pedal to the metal, 65-67mph.
Stopped,
> >looked at the rear end, not a trace of oil (or whatever that black stuff
was),
> >checked the oil, not down at all, so I hit the freeway again, but shortly
after
> >I got on the freeway and got up to speed, I started seeing a real light
grey or
> >white smoke which continued for maybe 10 miles. I drove 30 miles
altogether
> >after the stop where there was no oil, went to a gas station to top off
the tank
> >so I could see how much fuel I'd used (it was getting a little over
25mpg), but
> >to my surprise, the back end was totally black with oil, and, even worse,
the
> >engine was down 2 qts.
> >   So I put in more oil, and wiped off a big place on the back so I could
see if
> >it was blowing oil again, and headed for home, same thing flat out, but
now I'm
> >in a bit of a head wind so only going about 63. I drove about 45 miles
> >getting home, there was no smoke the whole time that I could see, and it
used
> >not a bit of oil.
> >   So -- what's going on here? I've blown any number of oil seals on
engines
> >before and had the rear end of a vehicle covered with oil, but it didn't
stop
> >and start again and it also left plenty of oil on the ground when it was
parked.
> >And, I have to assume that the smoking and the oil on the back are from
one and
> >the same cause -- no smoke, no oil usuage, and no oil on the rearend.
> >   Is there some sort of PCV valve that is getting plugged up or
> >something? Sorry, I've ordered a Bentley, but it's not here yet. And if
it's
> >that, why isn't the engine covered with oil? It seems like it's blowing
out thru
> >the engine, which would indicate a holed piston, trashed rings, or the
like, but
> >then why would it stop, and why is the starting and power so good?
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Harmon Seaver
> >CyberShamanix
> >http://www.cybershamanix.com
> >
> >
> >
>