Funny TDI tale of the week...

[RacerTodd]

Well, let me tell y'all a tale.

A couple of months ago I noticed a small oil leak around the oil filler cap on my car. Just a light film of oil around the opening.

With 500K on the engine, I figured the gasket in the cap was probably hard as a rock and not sealing well anymore.

Bought a new gasket and installed it.

Leak stopped for a couple of months, then returned. It was larger this time, as well.

This had me baffled. I inspected the gasket, but you really can't install it wrong.

I decided to buy a new cap from the dealer, figuring maybe the two little spring steel "clips" on the cap that hold the cap tightly to the cover were old and weak. Or maybe the aftermarket gasket wasn't correctly sized.

Installed the new cap. No difference. Now I'm really getting annoyed.

So today I decided to check the surface of the opening in the valve cover where the gasket rides, thinking perhaps there was a nick on that surface that was causing the leak. Kinda grasping at straws here.

I pull off the cap and clean the area around the opening. No sign of any nicks in the sealing surface and the gasket looks fine.

As I clean off the rest of the oil, I notice a dark stain of some sort on the side of the opening that won't wipe off.

Well, of course it won't wipe off - it's a dang hole!

Apparently, that large rubber ring/buffer thing that sits on the valve cover had rubbed a hole in the metal. Not surprising after the tens of thousands of hours of vibrations it takes to get 500K miles. This is the goofy little stuff that happens when you run a car to very high mileage! Got a good laugh of out it, now that I knew what the issue was.

I cleaned the area thoroughly and applied a coat of JB Weld over the hole. Hopefully, that'll hold. If not, I'll pick up a used valve cover.

Ah, the joys of car maintenance!

 

[turbovan+tdi]

Wow, that's crazy.

I throw those covers away, bloody annoying,

 

[Powder Hound]

...I throw those covers away, bloody annoying,

You throw the valve covers away? What do you use in place of them? Wouldn't it be a rather large mess without a valve cover? And the loss of oil - you couldn't go to a quickie mart without losing half your oil!

 

[Rembrant]

Apparently, that large rubber ring/buffer thing that sits on the valve cover had rubbed a hole in the metal. Not surprising after the tens of thousands of hours of vibrations it takes to get 500K miles. This is the goofy little stuff that happens when you run a car to very high mileage! Got a good laugh of out it, now that I knew what the issue was.

I cleaned the area thoroughly and applied a coat of JB Weld over the hole. Hopefully, that'll hold. If not, I'll pick up a used valve cover.

Ah, the joys of car maintenance!

Fantastic...you've worn out a valve cover...lol. Great story.

I heard a co-worker of mine complaining a few weeks back about his wife's car developing a rather nasty oil leak. You'll laugh, but it just so happens that the oil filter had rusted out and started leaking...lol. How long do you have to leave an oil filter installed before it rusts out?...lol.

Well, I see a new valve cover in your future...but at 500k...your current "vented" cover doesn't owe you anything.

Rem

 

[runonbeer]

I've seen deformed lower plastic skid pans wear holes in the oil pan. Particularly BRM. When I see it happening I JB weld a penny onto the wear spot.

 

[Conrad -JSW]

You throw the valve covers away? What do you use in place of them? Wouldn't it be a rather large mess without a valve cover? And the loss of oil - you couldn't go to a quickie mart without losing half your oil!

That way it's only annoying for a lil while then quits.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

You throw the valve covers away? What do you use in place of them? Wouldn't it be a rather large mess without a valve cover? And the loss of oil - you couldn't go to a quickie mart without losing half your oil!

Hahhhaahaa, good one,

 

[RacerTodd]

Well, I see a new valve cover in your future...but at 500k...your current "vented" cover doesn't owe you anything.

This is attitude you develop with the high mileage car. When something breaks, you say "well, I can't complain about this part failing - at least I got my money's worth out of it".

 

[rwolff]

I heard a co-worker of mine complaining a few weeks back about his wife's car developing a rather nasty oil leak. You'll laugh, but it just so happens that the oil filter had rusted out and started leaking...lol. How long do you have to leave an oil filter installed before it rusts out?...lol.

I had the filter on the power divider rust out on me. Fortunately, it started leaking as I brought it in to the Kwiki-Lube for an oil change, and they had a replacement available.

 

[naturist]

I heard a co-worker of mine complaining a few weeks back about his wife's car developing a rather nasty oil leak. You'll laugh, but it just so happens that the oil filter had rusted out and started leaking...lol. How long do you have to leave an oil filter installed before it rusts out?...lol.

That guy has never changed (or had changed) the oil in his wife's car. He will drive it on what came in it until it hits 50,000 miles (with, maybe, but maybe not an occasional addition) or the warranty runs out, then trade it in on a new one. Pity the poof fool who buys THAT car.