Just a little oil can make it appear as if there is a major oil leak!
Then the low pressure zone created at the rear of the van by moving that
box shape of the van through the air ..... well, the oil drips, gets
caught by the air flow and is sucked right into the lo pressure zone at
the rear, thus coating the thing with oil. Then you drive on a dusty
road and instant "dust bucket". You have a layer of dust hanging on to
the layer of oil. Tch,tch.... very untidy indeed.  Could be engine oil,
could be power steering fluid, could be tranny fluid - manual or
automatic, could be brake/clutch fluid (though not likely). It's going
to take some sleuthing. Let us know what you discover.

Ain't vanagons wonderful???

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Paul Guzyk wrote:
> I recently purchased an 84 Vanagon with a 93 Subie 2.2 that a PO
> installed.
>
> The engine has good compression (180-185 all around) runs well,
> sounds nice, lots of power etc.  The top of the engine is clean and
> dry, the bottom of the timing belt covers are a little oily.
>
> I just went on an 800 mile drive.  At the end of the drive, the rear
> hatch was covered in a thin film of what appears to be motor oil.
> Even the license plate and rear window were covered in this oil.
>
> Has anyone seen this?
>
> Could the engine be leaking oil and by some sort of 'Venturi effect'
> it is getting sucked onto the rear hatch of the van?  Or is the oil
> coming from somewhere else?
>
>