I've been chasing oil leaks. Looks like I've solved the majority of the leaking. This was coming from the valve cover gasket. One very small leak persists and it appears to be coming from the joint between the head and the block.
Is this possible?
oil leak between head and block
Moderator: Fatmobile
oil leak between head and block
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
Re: oil leak between head and block
Yes I changed the head gasket on my 82 for just this problem. It leaked so badly it ended up getting oil on the clutch disk and trashed my clutch. There is no gasket between the dust shield and the block so oil can eventually run down there and get in the disk. New HG solved the problem. Had the same issue on my 75 gas Rabbit too, also had to change the head gasket.
Bob
'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
Re: oil leak between head and block
As bscutt said, it's possible to have the oil leak at the head to block location. Re-torque the head bolts?
Everybody else lists their cars here - but not me.
I have too many to count
I have too many to count
Re: oil leak between head and block
Okay, have to undo what I fixed on the valve cover gasket but I guess I'll get out the Bentley and re-torque the head bolts. Thanks.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
Re: oil leak between head and block
Careful on that as they may be torque to yield bolts. Maybe just snug them up a bit, but be careful.
Everybody else lists their cars here - but not me.
I have too many to count
I have too many to count
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Fatmobile
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 7566
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
- Location: north central Iowa
Re: oil leak between head and block
There's some info on here about using a torque wrench to retorque the TTY headbolts.
It will help you see when they start to stretch.
It will help you see when they start to stretch.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
-
Quantum-man
- Turbo Charger
- Posts: 2085
- Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:34 pm
- Location: Gloucester; Limey-Land
Re: oil leak between head and block
Fatmobile wrote:There's some info on here about using a torque wrench to retorque the TTY headbolts.
It will help you see when they start to stretch.
That reminds me; my engine just got new bolts
. The old 'magic' bolts are now measured and the results logged... 
Blue Dog, are you sure the oil isn't running along the gasket from the pulley end?
"I'm not here to help... I'm here to Pro-Volke"
Be like meeee...Drive a Quantum TD
...The best work-horse after the cart...
Quantae grow on you...but Rabbits are like roses...
... girls like em ;o)
Only one Darwin, Einstein, Poe and Verne.
That is why if you listen, you will learn:
From the one and only Quantum-man,
Who sees the worms from outside of the can.
7 Quantae in 20 years; 4 dead and 3 TD's still alive [2 wagons & 1 fastback] oh and a GTD
)
Be like meeee...Drive a Quantum TD
...The best work-horse after the cart...
Quantae grow on you...but Rabbits are like roses...
... girls like em ;o)
Only one Darwin, Einstein, Poe and Verne.
That is why if you listen, you will learn:
From the one and only Quantum-man,
Who sees the worms from outside of the can.
7 Quantae in 20 years; 4 dead and 3 TD's still alive [2 wagons & 1 fastback] oh and a GTD
)Re: oil leak between head and block
Computer broke down but I'm back. I cleaned the area real good with a solvent and got it to bare metal. When it's running I see little spurting of oil coming out the joint between the head and the block. This is only one area that I can tell. It's on the front side of the engine, nearer the driver side, near the vacuum pump. Maybe head bolt 3 isn't as tight as it needs to be. I installed the head gasket about 100 or 120k miles ago and followed the procedure and torque values according to Bentley, to 44 ft lbs. Including the followup 1/4 turns after the engine warmed up and another 1/4 turn 1000 miles later as I recall. I get the impression it's okay to re-torque but I wonder if so after this many miles.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
-
Quantum-man
- Turbo Charger
- Posts: 2085
- Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:34 pm
- Location: Gloucester; Limey-Land
Re: oil leak between head and block
So that leak is right where the oil feed comes up out of the block things. What I'd do, is undo only that bolt, whilst observing a torque wrench. If it takes 80+lbft to undo it then I don't think that torquing down harder will improve things.
If it's relatively slack, retorque to about 85ish, then after checking maybe 95ish if required. If that fails; then its gasket off
Whilst bolt is out you might as well measure it. None of my magic bolts were longer than 127.6mm total after 6 reuses.
If it's relatively slack, retorque to about 85ish, then after checking maybe 95ish if required. If that fails; then its gasket off
Whilst bolt is out you might as well measure it. None of my magic bolts were longer than 127.6mm total after 6 reuses. "I'm not here to help... I'm here to Pro-Volke"
Be like meeee...Drive a Quantum TD
...The best work-horse after the cart...
Quantae grow on you...but Rabbits are like roses...
... girls like em ;o)
Only one Darwin, Einstein, Poe and Verne.
That is why if you listen, you will learn:
From the one and only Quantum-man,
Who sees the worms from outside of the can.
7 Quantae in 20 years; 4 dead and 3 TD's still alive [2 wagons & 1 fastback] oh and a GTD)
Be like meeee...Drive a Quantum TD
...The best work-horse after the cart...
Quantae grow on you...but Rabbits are like roses...
... girls like em ;o)
Only one Darwin, Einstein, Poe and Verne.
That is why if you listen, you will learn:
From the one and only Quantum-man,
Who sees the worms from outside of the can.
7 Quantae in 20 years; 4 dead and 3 TD's still alive [2 wagons & 1 fastback] oh and a GTD
)Re: oil leak between head and block
yes my leak was in the same spot. Probably could have been designed better but 120k isn't bad on a head gasket. I thought my leak was back but I realized the oil was actually coming from the vacuum pump base since i just stuck a used pump in there when the last one quit working and did not put a new o-ring in there (I was being lazy again 
). I know better but sometimes I just get in a hurry and get sloppy. 
). I know better but sometimes I just get in a hurry and get sloppy. Bob
'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
-
Fatmobile
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 7566
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
- Location: north central Iowa
Re: oil leak between head and block
That is the most likely spot to have oil squirting from a head gasket.
I'm thinking the o-ring built into the head gasket gets hard/brittle,
a little copper spray or hylomar might provide a little more of a barrier to that area, if you do need to change a head gasket.
Quantum man has taught us all alot about tightening TTY head bolts.
Using a torque wrench will give you a good idea of what the bolt is doing.
I'm thinking the o-ring built into the head gasket gets hard/brittle,
a little copper spray or hylomar might provide a little more of a barrier to that area, if you do need to change a head gasket.
Quantum man has taught us all alot about tightening TTY head bolts.
Using a torque wrench will give you a good idea of what the bolt is doing.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
Re: oil leak between head and block
Last winter around here was pretty rough. Didn't work on the Jetta; just drove it. Here it is August of 2014 and I finally got around to attempting to re-torque the head bolts. I say attempt because it went well up until number 9. It broke off about 2-1/4" down from the top of the bolt. Both 9 and 3 seemed a bit loose compared to the others. I guess it's off with the head. Hopefully the break is above the top surface of the block. Then new gasket and head bolts.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
Re: oil leak between head and block
I have always cringed when I've retorqued head bolts as they typically "crack" or whatever you want to call it when they turn, and it is not a smooth turning motion. You going to go the head stud route? Hope you can get that portion of the bolt out.
Everybody else lists their cars here - but not me.
I have too many to count
I have too many to count
Re: oil leak between head and block
How much does the head stud route cost?
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
Re: oil leak between head and block
Count on around $150, and worth every penny IMO. The 'stop-go-creeeak' drama 
when tightening the head down... gone! That would suggest (to me) that the indicated torque values I'm cranking in are very close to the actual torque on the fasteners, and in the end, providing a much more even clamping force on the head. (not an engineer, but i do ride the train sometimes)
Using RaceTech's studs now, but ARP's may be just as good. I really like that the stud tops & nuts use fine threads & that the washers are ground flat. Agree with Fats on the copper spray.
when tightening the head down... gone! That would suggest (to me) that the indicated torque values I'm cranking in are very close to the actual torque on the fasteners, and in the end, providing a much more even clamping force on the head. (not an engineer, but i do ride the train sometimes)Using RaceTech's studs now, but ARP's may be just as good. I really like that the stud tops & nuts use fine threads & that the washers are ground flat. Agree with Fats on the copper spray.
J.R.
SoCal
SoCal