74 Beetle Oil Leak?

Question

I have a 74 Beetle that is leaking oil like crazy. Sitting it does not leak but driving it spews everywhere.Where could it be coming from and what are the chances of the all the gaskets being bad. I cannot seem to find the leak anywhere. And behind the fan is dry no oil so whare can it be coming from?

Answer 1

If it does exactly that, only spews everywhere when driven my best guess is its coming from your oil cooler seals, the ones that mate to the block. Oh yeah.......its a messy # when it comes to those seals but yet a good indicator that if those seals are cooked and hard to where they wont hold a seal anymore its pretty much a darn good indication that the whole engine needs a gasket overhaul. Those engine gasket kits are like under 20$ and it comes with another rear main seal. An anual gasket overhaul is recomended to be done about every 12-15k miles you put on the motor. Good luck.

Answer 2

Since the Beetle is oil cooled there are a LOT of places for it to 'spew'. You are going to have to find the source area and then we can help you better.

First you need to clean the engine so that you can spot the leak area.

One way to do that is old clothes, glasses, engine cleaner (spray cans from your auto store) and a coin operated car wash on Saturday.

drive there, spray on the cleaner, cover your distributer cap with a plastic bag, and then hose away. (Be sure to rinse the soap off).

Drive home and get out that cardboard that someone else mentioned. and immediately start looking for where the fresh oil coming from. It should be a lot easier to spot now (plus your car will be running cooler since you cleaned off all the gunk).

NOW ... come back and tell us what is leaking...(got a photo?) and we can try to help.

Alternate plan #2...(you wont like this one)

Pull the engine and run it out of the car (yes.. you can do that)

start taking off the sheet metal to find the leak

.

Answer 3

You have the eyes here. "Sitting, it does not leak" what? are there no oil drops on the ground from when it was spewing? Put a chunk of cardboard under and see where the drops are dropping from.
You only have a drain plug, an oilscreen plate, valve covers, and pushrod tubes(which have "O" rings at both ends) from where oil can get out from the bottom.
Of which the pushrod tubes and the valve covers would have oil in them while running.
In the engine compartment check that the dipstick is in , and that the breather hose from the filler neck is not cracked....but then oil should be evident in the engine compartment. Not much else comes to mind.

Answer 4

Beetles can leak from numerous places. Have you replaced your valve covers with new gaskets ? Check the oil screen cover , also. There are many other possible places for leaks. check a web site devoted to air cooled VW's, thesamba.com . They are very easy cars to work on, but do need to be looked t regularly.

Answer 5

Vw Oil Cooler Seals

Answer 6

Check the push rod tubes,they are four on each side of the engine.Also check the flywheel oil seal(the engine has to be pulled to fix these problems).

I owned a beetle for 13 years & i used to work on it,anyway I hope this helps

Answer 7

If it is spraying all over your engine back lid then you have a internal engine problem called Blow By that mean that the oil is getting pass the oil rings and coming up the breather or Oil tube where you fill oil in. Good luck.

Answer 8

what can I do to stop an oil leak coming the oil pressure sending unit next to the blok

Answer 9

I'd be surprised if your 74 beetle *didn't* drip fluids everywhere!

(I was born in 74 and I know I do)

Answer 10

your oil cooler seals are leaking.