If it's an automatic, check the torque converter seal.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kim Brennan" <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2005 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: Film of oil all over back hatch

> Unlikely that it's a road thing.
>
> Oily substances are used in a variety of places. The aerodynamics of
> your vehicle is such that anything spewing oil is likely to have it end
> up on the back hatch.
>
> So. Your next set of choices are, what type of oil is it? Is it gummy?
> Is it very thin? Is it dark? Is it clear?
>
> Do you have power steering? I leak on the high pressure side could come
> out in a mist that could get sucked into the windstream. Same is true
> of your AC system, if you have one.
>
> Is your engine oily? Yes? Then get some brake cleaner and spray it on
> (when your engine cold) and get all that oily stuff off. That will make
> diagnosis easier. I assume since you haven't found the oil source, that
> your engine is not oily. The next easiest thing I'd check would be the
> AC lines (if you have AC). These run up behind the cabinets. Since the
> film is on the outside, I'd say, check the lines under the van towards
> the receiver dryer (in the left rear wheel well).
>
> If the oil residue is heavier on one side than the other, that could
> help, as the AC lines run on the LEFT side, but the Power Steering
> lines run on the RIGHT side.
>
> With a 18 year old vehicle, it would be a good time to look at those
> (metal) power steering lines that run up to the front. They can rust
> through.
>
>
>
>
> On Nov 6, 2005, at 11:56 PM, BA wrote:
>
>> Hi, all,
>>
>> This was discussed once (as far as I could find) in the archive, last
>> August.  The sole response to the described problem was "look under
>> the engine ... if it's sufficient to put an oily film on your back
>> hatch, the cause will be obvious".
>>
>> Except ... it's not obvious!  Not to us, nor to the VW repair shop
>> where we take our Vanagon.  And the repair shop has so far not steered
>> us wrong. (Our shop-supplied engine has not yet done 10,000 miles. And
>> it isn't a re-conditioned engine ... it's a new VW engine.)
>>