My solution to the leaky CCV puck

So it seems that everyone's CCV puck leaks onto their valve cover and down the back of the engine...and from my observations from a few different customer cars, it seems the majority of the leak eminates from the connection between the puck and the oil return tube.

Here is my GTDI. Notice how clean it is there? NO leaks.


Here is the trick...unconventional but works.

Wrap the nipple of the CCV puck with teflon tape. Give it a few wraps, don't be shy. Then simply reattach the return tube, tighten the clamp, and clean up the preexisting residue, done.

My puck only leaked when I PURPOSELY left the teflon tape off the connection, too see if that was actually solving the issue. Re wrapped it and no leaks.

To all those who have custom modified there valve covers. Oh well.

Many views, no remarks?
FWIW I did this when I first did my swap, and at Fest last year there were more than a couple remarks about the lack of oil leaking on my valve cover.

I love this very simple solution. I will be putting on my B4v in August.

Question, what did this do for the oil getting into the intercooler then leaking out from the intercooler?

Remark.

There, you have one now.

I'll give this a try as well since mine is leaking. I have replaced the CCV tube and puck a few times and it always leaks in short order. Quite a pain actually since the rest of the engine is always clean.

I just ditched the lower tube altogether when I had my A3. Put a block off plate on the block (easily obtained, VAG used them on many gas and diesel engines over the years).

But your method sounds quick and simple, too. My A3 never seemed to leak anywhere, though, not even underneath. When I sold it, it was the cleanest, driest early TDI I had ever known. Man I wish I kept that car

oh hello

in a high-boosting ahu (say 28 psi), is there any danger to blocking that lower tube? i keep forgetting to do this on my AHUs. i had got a new lower tube, which didn't leak for a while, but of course it has over time started to leak a bit. i had also debated using heater hose for this, instead of that plastic pipe if i could find a flange w/barb, or cutting the plastic hose and finding some sort of space to squeeze inside of it to reinforce it like the rings at the ends of the plastic mk3 boost pipes..

john.jackson9213 said:

I love this very simple solution. I will be putting on my B4v in August.

Question, what did this do for the oil getting into the intercooler then leaking out from the intercooler?

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Airwolf style aviation air/oil separator

Abacus said:

Remark.
There, you have one now.

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A remark from Mark nonetheless lol

oilhammer said:

I just ditched the lower tube altogether when I had my A3. Put a block off plate on the block (easily obtained, VAG used them on many gas and diesel engines over the years).
But your method sounds quick and simple, too. My A3 never seemed to leak anywhere, though, not even underneath. When I sold it, it was the cleanest, driest early TDI I had ever known. Man I wish I kept that car

Click to expand...

I'd imagine the crankcase pressures being rather high with the return tube blocked off, then again, maybe not.
ALH's lack this spot all together however the later blocks are designed differently as I know you are more than aware of.

burpod said:

oh hello

in a high-boosting ahu (say 28 psi), is there any danger to blocking that lower tube? i keep forgetting to do this on my AHUs. i had got a new lower tube, which didn't leak for a while, but of course it has over time started to leak a bit. i had also debated using heater hose for this, instead of that plastic pipe if i could find a flange w/barb, or cutting the plastic hose and finding some sort of space to squeeze inside of it to reinforce it like the rings at the ends of the plastic mk3 boost pipes..

Click to expand...

Pod, my solution is simple, try it before your typically over complicated ideas!

of course, i will try it i used a clamp without any teflon tape, and that also worked, but not 100%. i know i read some threads about blocking it off, but can't remember any consensus if it's OK to do, especially with a high-boosting engine.

burpod said:

if i could find a flange w/barb

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I have an OEM metal flange from a 1.6TD I am going to drill and weld a pipe barb to, it's a perfect fit and about 1/4" thick. Just something to consider since I have yet to find anything over the counter that will work and be beefy enough to stop leaking. I suspect I have some blowby with the higher mileage so I am reluctant to block it off completely like OH mentioned. I'm going to put an oil separator inline as well.

Well, it isn't a TDI, but all my old IDI diesels managed to survive without that lower tube. I often wonder why they bothered with it in the first place. Certainly the crankcase pressure at the front of the block isn't that different than at the head? Who knows, besides those zany Germans.

My '98 (which was not stock power wise) did OK, too. That was when we were beta-testing the Old Navy CCV, and they decided to make the AHU/1Z one with or without the extra bung. Mine was without (essentially an ALH version).

I too have saved a block off plate from an older non tdi engine if I decide to delete the return tube.

So has anyone tried measuring crankcase pressure?

oilhammer said:

I just ditched the lower tube altogether when I had my A3. Put a block off plate on the block (easily obtained, VAG used them on many gas and diesel engines over the years).

But your method sounds quick and simple, too. My A3 never seemed to leak anywhere, though, not even underneath. When I sold it, it was the cleanest, driest early TDI I had ever known. Man I wish I kept that car

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"Man I wish I kept that car"

more people need to admit how good the mk3 is/was, damn I miss mine.

GTiTDi said:

So has anyone tried measuring crankcase pressure?

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You know, that is a very valid point. I'm thinking in terms of engine pressure equalization, but is it really needed? I have to believe if they engineered it there, then it is, but then some of the crap VW did makes no sense to me as well.

benshaw said:

"Man I wish I kept that car"

more people need to admit how good the mk3 is/was, damn I miss mine.

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Yeah, but my 2000 Golf is a superior car in every measure. It is just that I am the second owner. Isn't the same.

I'll be trying this when I have time. That leak has really kept the rust off my car over the years though. It's left a descent coat underneath.

I've done this a few times with electrical tape. Works well.

I'm going to try this. Thanks for sharing

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks! Maybe now I won't do the exhaust option.

G60ING said:

Thanks! Maybe now I won't do the exhaust option.

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Come again? This in no way prevents oil from entering the intake, merely from leaking externally. I plan on plumbing my CCV from the air/oil separator into a downpipe scavenge system eventually.

I've thought about blocking off the crank vent and venting the VC to the exhaust because the seepage drives me crazy.

G60ING said:

I've thought about blocking off the crank vent and venting the VC to the exhaust because the seepage drives me crazy.

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Well this cures the seepage!

i was told blocking the crank case vent will push your seals out.....which makes sense ...so i replaced the stupid plastic tube. would be nice to know what pressure the seals should hold vs the cc pressure. good tip for the puck

I upgrade this part rather than deleting it..You can use an oil separator from Polo and together with an aluminium flange for engine block + rubber hose from Eurovan it should never leak:

slow-moe said:

I upgrade this part rather than deleting it..You can use an oil separator from Polo and together with an aluminium flange for engine block + rubber hose from Eurovan it should never leak:

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Where do I get one of these ^ eurovan parts?

vegger said:

i was told blocking the crank case vent will push your seals out.....which makes sense ...so i replaced the stupid plastic tube. would be nice to know what pressure the seals should hold vs the cc pressure. good tip for the puck

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Nobody is advocating blocking all the vents, just the lower one.

also.. thanks to the OP for this good info. I've had several mk3 / b4 TDIs and never had leaks like I have on the higher boost application I'm running now. I've also never seen this on the ALH and later model drivetrains, and in my experience those blocks vent better than these earlier ones... It would be nice to see some pics of the vent to downpipe here for future reference

myke_w said:

Nobody is advocating blocking all the vents, just the lower one.
also.. thanks to the OP for this good info!

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I would leave the lower vent intact, it shouldn't leak if installed properly. If mine doesn't leak neither should anyone elses. FWIW it took some trimming of the new vent tube flange to make a flat sealing surface..always be sure to remove molding flash with a razor and some emery cloth, just like when building a platic model airplane! The only difference is doing it to prevent leaks, rather than aesthetic purposes.

Remember ALH blocks don't have that lower vent because they have an entirely different internal return passage design with much larger holes which helps the block breath better.

Also, I have recently fabricated my own exhaust scavenge ccv, same setup as before except rather than venting into the TIP it vents into the downpipe.
The effect is basically pulling a slight vacuum on the crankcase, which in turn seals the rings better and seems to help the engine rev faster. This is a common hotrodder trick on cars with headers and straight exhaust.

note: this is only for cars with a straight exhaust (mine is straight 3" minus a huge resonator)
http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=13023

GTiTDi said:

Airwolf style aviation air/oil separator

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I know this is a bit old now, but... GTiTDi I would love to see a picture of your air oil separator in action. I hate how much oil I end up putting back into the intake now that I have bigger injectors and ecu tune to match ... been thinking about a crawford A/O separator for a while now but haven't seen any TDIs running them.

GTiTDi said:

Here is the trick...unconventional but works.

Wrap the nipple of the CCV puck with teflon tape. Give it a few wraps, don't be shy. Then simply reattach the return tube, tighten the clamp, and clean up the preexisting residue, done.

My puck only leaked when I PURPOSELY left the teflon tape off the connection, too see if that was actually solving the issue. Re wrapped it and no leaks.

Click to expand...

I know it's an old thread.

You're talking about the nipple that goes into the plastic tube that connects to the tube coming out of the block?

Thanks,
Mark

Yes.

It seems to work, but I'm also using a clamp. I was thinking of cleaning the connection and adding a few wraps of silicone sealing tape, to lose the clamp.

-Todd