Some good news, and some bad news...

[Sandspider]

The good news is, I've finally traced my odd oil leak. The bad news is, it's coming from the crankcase where it joins the block . Only noticed as it's in the garage to have the fuel tank cover put back in place, and it went up on the lift while the engine was still hot. (It's not a huge leak, and doesn't happen when the engine isn't running- it doesn't drip on my drive for example)

I understand that to replace the crankcase seal, the gearbox and some of the transmission need to come out? (Indie said it was best done when replacing the gearbox, but the gearbox was replaced shortly before I bought the car!) Bugger. There's a few other niggles with the car (handbrake cable stretched, steering wheel bearings not great) but the oil leak is more of a pain. (It's been getting through a litre or so every few hundred miles). Now, I don't want to get rid of the car, but I can't really afford the labour required to get the gearbox and all out to replace the crankcase seal. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to reduce oil loss? And presumably, as long as I keep the oil level topped up, the car's not going to suffer damage due to a leak in the crankcase?

If I do have to have the crankcase seal replaced, is there anything else I should check / replace while there is access to the hard to reach places?

Cheers...

Giles

 

[DivineE]

Half the 996's on the road have a crank case seal leaking slightly so I suppose it's not the end of the world but 1 litre every few hundred miles is a fair leak and I'd personally be worried about it losing oil pressure. The gearbox is not a hard job to remove its the clutch that's the problem but there's nothing fiddly or complicated about it. I'd find a local £20 per hour honest mechanic with a ramp and get him to do it. Doesn't need to be a specialist. Took my local one man band vw mechanic 8 hours to do a clutch for me and I paid £200 cash plus supplied the parts. I don't think it has to be a big drama or big money to get it put right.

 

[zcacogp]

I'm slightly struggling to picture the crank case-to-block seal (probably just me being thick), but if it is on the back of the engine where the clutch is then DivineE is right. It's not at all hard or even fiddly, it's just that there is quite a lot to do to get to it. A long, but easy job. (Manhandling the gearbox is heavy, but again not actually difficult.)

If you can find a good local jobbing mechanic then that would be a great way to go. Or break open the tools, invite some practical friends 'round for the day and get some beers in to drink when it's done.

A litre every couple of hundred miles is a fair old leak. And will make a mess of the bottom of the car and cost a little bit. And it may get worse with time. If you can live with all those facts then it's not a show-stopper ...


Oli.

 

[Sandspider]

Thanks for the reassurance and suggestions, chaps. (Oli, you're forgiven for saying that I'm a mentalist!! []) I'd not thought of getting a non specialist to do it... I do know one old mechanical geezer with a ramp (he did a few bits on my old Peugeot) but I'm not sure if I'd trust him with the 944! Anyway, glad to hear it may not be a big drama / big money. I just heard the words "clutch and gearbox removal" and my wallet sort of shuddered in my pocket :s

I don't let the oil pressure get below 4 bar, so I'm not too concerned about that. And the loss is maybe a litre every 400 miles (to be a bit more specific) so if I top it up every 200 miles or so things should be OK. The seal is indeed at the back of the engine (just behind the sump - the leaked oil runs down onto the cooling vanes on the bottom of the sump).

Hmmm... (Actually, I tell a lie - the clutch was replaced before I bought the car, not the gearbox).

 

[zcacogp]

Giles,

Did I say you were a mentalist? That escaped me ...

The work you talk about it very simple indeed. Anyone with a 13mm, 17mm and 19mm spanner can do it. There is nothing specalist about it at all, and precious little to get wrong or break.


Oli.

 

[Sandspider]

Technically you said I was barking mad (when I expressed delight that my low fuel warning light worked) but close enough! []

Well, I'm not a mechanical whizz (though I have serviced the car myself) but if I'm not likely to knacker something I would like to have a bash at removing clutch etc. just so that I can do it again in future if necessary. Wonder if I can borrow a lift or ramp... I'll go and have a look at procedures at Clark's Garage.

[&:]