Oil Leaks...normal?

[Vancouver '66]

everyone,

Well, I've had my 66 912 in my garage for less than a week and I love it. However, I am collecting lots of oil drips on the concrete.

My question, is a 912 engine much like a VW bug in that I should just expect a certain amount of dripping or do I have a problem?

Michael

[eki912]

Yes , they do leak.... some little , some a lot , some dont leak at all !

If you tackle the normal places one by one , you should be able to get rid of those leaks.Atleast most of them....

Sadly I am not the expert on older engines , so cant give you any advice where to start.

[C. Clark]

With the proper attention all the leaks can be stopped.......or to be realistic 99.9%. If you let it sit for a while expect the tubes to drip a little. The shifter seal is problematic and a weak link from what I see but fixable.
best of luck,
Chas.
356
912

[Vancouver '66]

Can anyone provide me a checklist of what to tackle regarding the oil leaks?

Ideally a list that reads...

"Change this seal...
"Then do this, then do this..."

I really have no idea where to start. The obvious places aren't obvious to me...complete rookie. The last mechanical thing I did was work on a lawn mower engine in grade nine.... about 25 years ago!

Michael

[WFBowen]

Michael:
I'd first de-grease the entire motor, top to bottom - cheap cans of carb cleaner work great. A clean motor will allow you a better chance of locating the leak or at least the general area.
Then, check the valve covers for drips. As Chas mentioned, the pushrod tube seals are also a common source of leaks. Then check the oil breather setup - the hose coming off of the oil filler tank. Another source can be the oil screen plate at the bottom of the motor. I don't know exactly how much oil you're dripping, but if it's a pressure leak (i.e. the oil cooler) you'll want to take care of it as soon as possible.
After years of service, these motors tend to seep small amounts of oil. Remember that a tiny amount of oil placed onto a hot metal surface seems like much more in volume as it works its way down the motor. An old common practice of buying any early Porsche was to test drive the car, bring it back hot and place some newspaper under the motor. Virtually every time, there'd be some oil on the paper (which looked like a pint after it soaked in) and allowed a little bargaining power.

[Vancouver '66]

Thanks a bunch! I now have some marching orders and can get cracking.

Cheers!

[Jeff Trask]

Leaks? That means there is still oil in it. That's a good sign.

[lep]

The above recommendations sound great. Just by running an engine every day or every other day so that heat builds up significantly can prolong other leaks from occurring.

[j.hall]

When I bought my '68 last fall the engine (and compartment) were a mess. The previous 15 year owner lived on a dirt road and NEVER cleaned anything! I dropped the motor, stripped off the sheet metal and gave it a good bath. The main problem was (simply) a valve cover gasket installed incorrectly. I replaced it with one from Vic Skirmats (metal center) they are the best as they require no sealant and stay in place.
For me it was a great way to get to know the engine and surprisingly after installation I have very few leaks (and its MUCH easier to work on a clean engine). It was worth the two days work. I can now see if a leak or problem starts and take care of it right away. Its amazing how just a small leak can look like a major one!
Good luck!!