Oil leak from Pushrod Tube seals?

[Adam O'Donnell]

Hello all

I think I may have an oil leak coming from the pushrod tube seal on my
1969 type I. When I run my fingers along the pushrod tubes, I come
away with a few drips of fresh oil. I have noticed a puddle growing
under my bug, day after day.

I am pretty certain that the oil is coming from the seals...

1 - How difficult is it to replace the seals? Do I have to drop the
engine? Is there a way that I can just take off the valve covers,
rocker bar, the pushrods, and then, like compress and pull the tubes
out of place to replace the seals?

2 - Could the oil leak come from any other place?

3 - Should I worry?

Later all.

Adam O'Donnell
1969 white vw beetle

[JMsignhere]

This leak is easy the repair. You have to pull the head though. ( it
sounds bad but its quite easy ) Remove valve cover and remove the two
rocker arm nuts. Dont change rocker adjustment screws. Then remove head
bolts and the head. Replace tubes with new ones and new rubber gaskets.
Replace head and torque nuts. Replace pushrods and rockers and your good
to go.

[Jan Andersson]

If you buy special spring-loaded nylon tubes, or any tubes that come
in 2 pieces, (like aluminum adjustable tubes, with a locking nut),
you need not pull the heads, just remove the tin underneath the tubes,
then remove valve cover and remove the two rocker arm nuts. Dont change
rocker adjustment screws. Take out the rocker arm assembly in one piece,
and then pull out the push rods. Make sure you later put them in in the
exact same tube. Now you have the empty old tubes visible, do whatever it
takes to get them out, you have to break them, but then again, you will
be installing new ones (that are tighter, and stay tight).

After this procedure, you just put in the new rubber seals and the
nylon tubes. They are a bit tricky to install, as you have to keep the
spring compressed during installation. It is possible, even if you only
had 2 hands :)

I use some glue/sealant to make sure they do not leak in the future.
(silicone instant gasket or something like that, as long it tolerates
oil ans high temperatures).

The nylon tubes do not cost much, and in stock engine, they work just
fine. I have used them, and when using sealant with them, they are ok.
Still, next time I will try the aluminum ones, they look better,
and propably are even less likely to leak. My nylon tubes melted
in my 1700CC engine, but that was due to severe overheating.

BTW: You cannot use the same stock metal tubes more than a couple of
times, they get tired quite fast, if you keep removing/installing them.
The ones explained above do not.

Jan

[Access Systems]

JMsignhere <jmsig...@aol.com> wrote:
: This leak is easy the repair. You have to pull the head though. ( it
: sounds bad but its quite easy ) Remove valve cover and remove the two
: rocker arm nuts. Dont change rocker adjustment screws. Then remove head
: bolts and the head. Replace tubes with new ones and new rubber gaskets.
: Replace head and torque nuts. Replace pushrods and rockers and your good
: to go.

Some companies also sell spring loaded pushrod tubes that do not require
you to pull the head. you follow the above instructions down to the
"remove head bolts..." do not do this but remove pushrod in tube leaking
and cut/bend out the old tube, then insert spring loaded tube according
to instructions there is a top and bottom. replace pushrod and rockers
etc.

Bob

[John Connolly]

SCAT makes the nicest spring loaded pushrod tubes I know of...
self adjusting.... about $40 a set of 8... the nylon ones do
have a melting problem, and a leaking problem.. they are
primarily designed to get you home, but that is about it.. they
are not meant for long term use.. and the locknut kind leak
like hell..

I use the SCAT ones on a
permanent basis in a few cars with just as good as stock
results... and you don't have to pull the head to install them

John
--

[Thomas & Joanna Deane]

jmsig...@aol.com (JMsignhere) wrote:

>This leak is easy the repair. You have to pull the head though. ( it
>sounds bad but its quite easy ) Remove valve cover and remove the two
>rocker arm nuts. Dont change rocker adjustment screws. Then remove head
>bolts and the head. Replace tubes with new ones and new rubber gaskets.
>Replace head and torque nuts. Replace pushrods and rockers and your good
>to go.

In addition you may want to consider the following:

1. the pushrods are installed at a slight angle between the head and
the casing, and

2. the pushrod seal seats in the heads and casing are perpendicular
(i.e., not at an angle).

To maximize the pushrod seals, I've done the following prior to
installation:

a. extend the pushrod tubes to the recommended length

b. SLIGHTLY bend each end of the tube to allow it to compensate for
the non-perpendicular angle created by #1 above. This will create a
slight "s"-shaped tube that will allow perpendicular seating of the
seals. Don't bend too much, or the pushrod will rub a hole in the
tube where the bends are made, and

c. install (i.e., bend) the pushrod tubes so that the welding seam is
facing backwards and slightly downward so that you can inspect the
tubes to determine if future leaks are from the seals and/or the
welding seam (the seams sometimes break open). Don't worry, if you
check your oil periodically and the floor surface where you park your
VW, you shouldn't run out of oil from a broken welding seam.

Thom Deane
vw1...@primenet.com