cool,
I find the tubes pretty hard to rotate ..
but I also use red permatex gasket sealer under and on top of the white seals on the ends of the tubes...
but sure ..
get  the metal as clean as you can and dab a little JB on there..
should work or sure help, and not much effort wasted if it doesn't work out ..

you could crip that gap closed if you had a small and fine enough pliers. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Meeks 
  To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans 
  Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com 
  Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 7:26 PM
  Subject: Re: Pesky Oil Leak

  Thanks for the good ideas. I was doubtful that JB would do the trick but though I have some in my road kit, I've never had to use the stuff.  Mike S' suggestion to rotate the tube so the hole faces up is genius.  So JB and a 180 it is. I'll follow up with the results.

  John Meeks
  '91 Multivan
  Northern Michigan

  Vanagon Rescue Squad
  www.vanagonauts.com

  On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 8:56 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

    two ways to repair that without moving the head.
    ( good sleuthing and photography btw )

    one,  is the expandable push rod tube.
    you remove rocker arm and pushrod, and rip out the bad push rod tube,
    then you compress the spring-loaded expandable push rod tube ...fit that in...
    and you've got a new push rod tube there. They can leak a tiny bit at the sliding junction..
    but for repair use they're fine.

    the other one is epoxy steel.....JB Weld , etc.
    clean the spot real well, like with carb cleaner..
    apply the goop , let cure.
    that can work well.

    Scott
    www.turbovans.com

    ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Meeks" <vanagon@GMAIL.COM>

    To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
    Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 4:12 PM
    Subject: Pesky Oil Leak

      I'm no BP but I've been leaving 6" poodles if oil wherever I park.
      I have tracked it's source to a tiny hole in the case side of a push rod
      tube right
      on the outside of one of those accordion  ridges.
      http://picasaweb.google.com/vanagon/SaltbeltRustyParts#5486847990506798578

      <http://picasaweb.google.com/vanagon/SaltbeltRustyParts#5486847990506798578>I
      don't want to pull the head to replace the tube so... Does anyone have any
      idea what
      I could use to repair this ~3/32" hole

      John Meeks
      '91 Multivan
      Northern Michigan

      Vanagon Rescue Squad
      www.vanagonauts.com