Re: Murphy's Law - oil cooler seal blew up!

["Chris DeLong" <green536@hotmail.com>]

There are 2 pressure release valves. One is in the oil filter(you are using 
a german one right?). The other is in the oil pump itself.

>This is a somewhat common occurrence...   when it happened to me it was
>actually the oil filter seal....   what weight oil are you running?  Here's
>the way I see it:
>
>Start cold engine, oil pressure is damn high
>
>Rev engine to move car, oil pressure is higher yet
>
>I have not verified the existance of a pressure release valve anywhere in
>the system, but assume there has to be one.  If there is one, it's stuck
>
>High oil pressure tries to escape anywhere it can....   blows out one of 
>the
>rubber orings (filter or cooler) and then starts spitting all the oil out,
>leaving a nice trail on the road, rustproofing your car, etc.
>
>First thing to do is take your filter off and see if the oring is in it's
>groove.  If it's not, there's no need to take the cooler off.  Put the o
>ring back in (or just get a new filter) and put it back on...   *tight*
>(only time I've ever used a wrench to tighten a filter)
>
>Fill with thinner oil...   from my experience, once the light comes on on
>level ground it's 3 quarts low  :)
>
>Remind yourself to let the car really warm up before revving so you don't
>have to do this again
>
>John
>
>lotsa stuff
>http://www.prod.net/jvanvuren
>
>
>
>
> > Last night I mentioned to a friend how reliable my 250k+ rocco has been.
>I
> > then mention that I shouldn't have said that, which now I know I 
>shouldn't
> > have....
> >
> > She blew the oil cooler seal this AM in a supermarket parking lot a mile
> > from my house.  Could be much worse, I know.  At least that's what I
>believe
> > happened.  Check out the replay and verify or correct:
> >
> > 1) Start up, go to gas station.
> > 2) Start up, go to supermarket.
> > 3) Start up, smell oil (thinking it's some clod next to me who doesn't
>take
> > care of his vehicle - LOL!)
> > 4) See the oil pressure light blink off/on a few times out of the corner
>of
> > my eye.
> > 5) Turn it off, check underneath, and there is 1/3 of my oil (estimated)
>in
> > a puddle.
> >
> > Now...
> >
> > A) It's somewhat frothy and discolored, which I believe is due to a
> > developing headgasket leak (I do eat coolant these days)
> > B) Hard to diagnosis in 30 degree weather on cold asphalt when you are
> > looking at a grimy engine that should have been degreased for just such
> > occasions.  But it did look centralized under the filter.
> >
> > Finally...
> >
> > As I am looking around the parking lot, I notice a trail of oil (not
>light,
> > but not heavy) that I produced coming into the parking lot.  After 
>walking
>a
> > mile or so home and coming to the street I live on, I notice this trail 
>of
> > oil that I produced right when I left this AM.  So it was leaking then,
>and
> > blew up in the supermarket parking lot on the 3rd startup of the AM.  
>This
> > is what I believe happened.  Could just have continued leaking while I 
>was
> > in the supermarket, though.
> >
> > I am trying to get a consensus on this as I want/need to get it fixed
>(work
> > vehicle) this weekend, especially since it's supposed to be nice (well, 
>in
> > the 40's, which is apparently nice this winter).  I understand these oil
> > cooler seals blow from time to time?  This is original with 250k+ on it.
> >
> > I figure if it was a sudden burst, I can only see it as being that 
>cooler
> > seal.  The rear main wouldn't produce such a large puddle that quickly 
>as
>it
> > would have to slowly leak out of the tranny, and my clutching was/is 
>fine.
> > The oil pan gasket has been replaced before and it didn't look as if it
>came
> > from that area.  The oil filter itself was not completely covered in 
>oil,
> > which I think would probably happen if the oil filter seal went out.  It
> > does look as if the block itself took a bit of a wash behind the oil
>cooler.
> > Anyone have any probable thoughts that run counter to this line of
> > diagnosis?
> >
> > Bored at home,
> > -PK
> >
> >
> >
> > --
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> >
> >
>
>
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Chris DeLong
ICQ#45030867
Seattle, WA USA
'80 16V Rag
'88 16V Rocco (for sale!)
'82 GLI
'80 'Vert (for sale real cheap!)
'65 Bus (for sale!)
'61 17 Window
'90 Vanagon

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