Hello, I've given my van an oil change and removed the oil strainer and put it back using two new seals. I bought a torque wrench and tightened it up to 12Nm (9lb/ft) and I'm still getting oil seeping past the edges. Does the metal plate hold the strainer in place or does this need screwing in? I did try but it seemed to just go round and round. Any advice here would be great, thanks! Craig
Mine is just held there with the 1 bolt, that yes you shouldn't overtighten on pain of a knackered engine. Did you use the new gaskets in the right place, were the mating faces clean and did you use a new crush washer under the bolt? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If so then take it all apart clean it again, check everything and put it back together again. In desperation you could try a new gasket set but I'm not sure why this one isn't working... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm sure I did. I bought a set from VW Heritage (Part Number: 021198031B). Two seals and a silver washer. I put one gasket under the strainer and the other under the metal plate. Then put the silver washer on the bolt. I then tightened it to 12Nm Although my torque wrench isn't the best quality I feel (it was new). I'll take it off again and try again. Thanks
There is a type 4 syndrome aka design flaw that if you over tighten the bolt it wrecks the case so be careful.
When it's tight n not leaking, don't take it off again for a couple of years or so. I think it's something like a 10,000 mile service item so I'm ok for another 3 years! I change the oil every year, at least once, and since the 1st service n a bit of Bakelite from the push rod guides I've never found anything in it. As others told me; if you don speak need to take the chance of taking it off while doing an oil change, why bother with the risk! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Take it off again and check that the thread that the bolt goes into is clean. If it's got gunge in it the bolt may reach the required torque before the plate and strainer are tight. I've taken to always taking this off as I found slivers of metal in the strainer. That was 3 years ago, and each time there's a little bit more, so I'm keen to see it's not about to throw a rod or something else catastrophic. Runs fine fingers crossed.
Well this is the first time it's been off in all the years we've owned it. I was surprised how clean it was but I am regretting doing it now! I'll take it all apart and try again. Thanks all.
The Type 4 has a proper oil filter and there is no need to remove the strainer, apart from maybe at the first oil change, especially if you’re not going to do anything when you find bits of engine in it.
I guess at some point it'll start to get noisy. It's a gamble I know, and if I 'd never taken it off I'd be none the wiser. I fitted temp and pressure gauges, and I've had three continental holdays and apart from worrying about how hot the oil was getting at one point in Spain, no trouble. The metal isn't what I describe as bits of engine, though that's where it's come from. It's microscopically thin and is probably white metal off the bearings. None of it reaches the filter. I'll probably get it rebuilt sometime soon.
Mine had a slight leak too. I put it down to the torque wrench being inaccurate, I doubt the cheapo ones are accurate at really low levels. Good torque wrenches cost a fair bit. I had to tighten it a tiny bit at a time until I got the leak to stop. Tighten a tiny bit, drive it then check for leaks. Do this at your own risk though, but if you use a bit of common sense I'm sure it'll be fine.
Good point about the accuracy of torque wrenches. I got a cheapo Draper which does range 10-80 Nm, and the strainer needs only 12 Nm. If I used my other bigger wrench which has a bendy bar it would be wildly out. The Draper has a calibration certificate so hopefully is reasonably accurate when new. What it says is you should slacken off the tension when not in use otherwise it will begin to drift.
You can test how accurate your torque wrench is by doing your own calibration test if you've got a weight of some sort that your confident in (or even using litres of water as a dead weight). Clamp up the turny end in a vice with the handle at 3 or 9 o'clock, attach your known dead weight to the end of the handle, measure the distance from the weight to the turny bit and do some sums. Mine was 15% under reading. Probably.
The one I bought was Draper. I hope it's accurate....it was only £30 though. Thanks for all the advice! Just curious, but what would happen to the engine if this nut was overtightened? What would the symptons be?
it splits part of the engine case where the bolt goes in and causes unrepairable damage. The thread is on what looks like a lug cast into the case, that piece breaks off
Other symptoms include: Lots of swearing; A lighter wallet; Having to deal with parts suppliers and wasting time waiting for parcels to arrive. On a more serious note I find the Halfords Professional small torque wrench to be very accurate and not that expensive at all.
This is the 'lug' Mark is talking about; it’s just below the middle cam bearing saddle - it can be repaired but you don’t want to go there. You’ll know if you break it, the oil will drop out of the sump and you won’t be able to tighten the strainer bolt and it really is not a good idea to keep tightening it in an attempt to stop a leak, slightly too much torque and you’ll have a big leak. Remove the strainer, check the joint faces, make sure the cover plate is flat (file it if necessary) and use good quality gaskets. You could also use a smear of sealant but I never do. And once it is leak free don’t remove it again – ever.
