Date:    Tue, 25 Nov 1997 18:45:14 -0500
From:    DAPrescott@AOL.COM
Subject: Gas in Crankcase

Greetings all,
Its great to have the list back.  I realize now how much I learn form you
all, and how much I enjoy your (collective) company!

Last week, I was driving along (84 wasserboxer, 174K) when I seemed to lose
power -- no bad, bad noticeable.  On the way home that evening, it got worse.
 Tremendous clouds of blue smoke folowed me home as I limped along, nearly
powerless.

Surveyed the situation and found my oil full of gas.  Somehow fuel had found
its way down there.  The now very thin oil/gas mix found its way back up into
the pistons, and was (only partially) being burned as fuel.  Parking on the
driveway indicated additional oil where it shouldn't be -- in the exhaust
system, leaking out at flange coupling.

Doug,

Don't let someone tell you that your motor is done.  A oil/fuel mix in the crankcase could
be caused by something as simple as a blown fuel pressure regulator.  Regulator
diaphragm perferates, crankcase vacuum pulls fuel through perferation, washes out the
piston ring sealing capability, dilutes crankcase oil, thinned oil then washes back up into
combustion chamber and out the exhaust valve.  Simple.  You need to check that fuel
pressure regulator immediately.  Not necessarily a worn motor.

On a sad note, however, the drop of coolant you metioned that you saw on the engine
under the cylinder head would indicate that the head gasket task looms in your very near
future.

Rick Sherrod
Macon, GA     kdf_cars@mylink.net
http://www.mylink.net/~kdf_cars
83.5 Vanagon (FS)      88 Fox (FS)
81 Diesel 5000 (FS)
83 Volvo Diesel (hers)
82 Ex-Diesel V6 Vanagon project (his)
http://www.mylink.net/~kdf_cars/v6van1.html