Yes I’ve had the engine running but it leaks while at rest aswell. I cleaned all the oil off at about lunch time today and I just popped out to the garage to check it just now and there’s oil running down from the plug. It will obviously be worse when running as there’s pressure but at rest I’m probably getting about a drip every 2-3 days.
Worse because the hot oil will be thinner. At rest the cam plug would be above the sump oil level so what you're seeing is just residual oil leaking out and not really a guide to how bad the leak is.
So how bad a job is stripping the block right down and is it simply a case of re-sealing the cam plug?
It depends on your attitude and general mechanical whatnot. You need to take head barrels and pistons off one side but you can leave the other intact. I've done it it a few hours myself to replace just one o-ring on the oil pickup tube on a type-4 engine but I did know what to expect having had them apart before. [edit] Take the rockers off the side you're leaving built up so the valve springs don't push on the cam.
^this. To strip the case, you only need to take one side off. Not really difficult, best done in an engine stand. As Steve said, it’s only residual/draining oil that’s coming out, nothing under pressure. <edit> There are a number of passageways in the case around the oil seal area that drain oil away from the seal. Worth checking those as well.
I’m guessing this will spark controversy on here but I see some people are using rubber push-fit Brazilian bus cam plugs that don’t have a ridge and can be fitted without splitting the cases.
But the plug is steel and the case is softer. Hello permanent leak from chewed case. It is better to take the long path and fix the problem by splitting the case cleaning and resealing . And a leak that happens fast enough to be annoying may end up leaving you with a very hot engine because the engine runs hotter and leaks faster with thinner oil as the oil level drops. I can tell when mines low on oil because it starts to show slightly lower oil pressure and more variation in pressure.
This would be enough to make me split the case. What appears to be the long way round may save you doing this job over and over. Do it right, do it once.
That's a good point Mike. Most of us don't run pressure gauges on the bay, but I have put one on the T3 after lossing the bottom end . I see pressure loss, not from low oil, but from older oil. Nothing dramatic, but like we monitor fuel consumption on the bay, these little things add up to the vehicles telling us they need regular love
yes, you are all right of course, I was just trying to convince myself that a quick fix would do the job, but it would have constantly been in the back of my mind that it could go”pop” at any time and dump all it’s oil, probably when furthest from home or a garage. Ill get the parts ordered and should have some time this weekend to make a start - drain the oil and remove the ancillaries……
Eh? Just loosen the case bolts and pull it out with yer fingers? I've never owned a pump puller, never had a problem.
