Chris,

If the leawk was from the oil filter area, I think there are two
possibilities.   One is that the filter gasket leaked .   The other is that
the gasket behind the oil cooler leaked while it was cold.   I had this
gasket blow out after a start at -25 in Maine one winter, but I can imagine
that it might just leak some too if it was loose.   Replacing it is a real
pain, but you can check very easily to see if the cooler fastening bolt is
loose.   Take the oil filter canister off and you will see a nut at the
bottom of the threaded pipe that the filter screws on to.   Check to see
that it is tight.   Mine was loose, and I think that caused the gasket to
be unsupported enough to let the cold (and v i s c o u s!) oil blow the
rubber out.    Incidently, we replaced it with a gasket from an oil filter
(one for another vehicle, but I don't know what kind) to get out of Maine
(no VW dealers around there).   That one has lasted 5 years so far.   I
believe there was a design change to the OEM gasket at some point, so the
new one from VW might be better.

Dave

At 09:35 AM 11/25/97 -0900, Chris Wyatt2 wrote:
>Hi everybody,
>
>I had a rather disconcerting experience with my van a couple of weeks ago.
>
>We were at Arctic Circle Hot Springs, about 130 miles from Faribanks, and
>it got down to -15 degrees F at night.  I managed to plug in the
>engine pre-heaters for about 45 minutes before starting it the next
>morning, but I don't think the lodge's generator was putting out 110
>volts.  So it was essentially started cold at -15 F.
>
>It started as well as it ever does at that temperature, with few groans
>and whines, and I let it run for about 20 minutes.  Then my friend burst
>into the cabin and said, "Chris, you'd better come have a look at this".
>
>There was a large puddle of motor oil on the snow beneath the oil
>filter.  There was no dripping observed, as I kicked some fresh snow onto
>the stain to reveal any drips.  The oil warning light was not on, and I shut
>down the motor.  I checked the oil after a few minutes, and it was
>perhaps 1/8" below the LOW mark on the dip stick.  I added about 3/4
>quart, and restarted it.  It ran fine, and no new drips were observed.
>
>The leak originated in the vicinity of the oil filter.  I could not tell
>if it came from the filter connection, or from the box on which it mounts
>(is that on oil cooler?).
>
>We loaded up and drove 8 miles to Central, the last gas between there and
>town, and the oil level was fine there, still no dripping.  Had a
>pleasant drive home on the Steese Highway, and it has not leaked since.
>
>Can you suggest what might have happened to cause a temporary, severe oil
>leak, that healed itself?
>
>Perhaps a seal had contracted in the cold, allowed the leak upon
>starting, then refilled the void after it warmed up.  It has 10w30 Mobil1
>synthetic in the crankcase.  But which one?
>
>Thanks for any suggestions,
>
>Chris Wyatt
>'87 Syncro GL
>Fairbanks, Alaska
>