White Oil -Problem with Distributor Seal

**Sponsor**

by **on-to-berlin** » January 29th, 2018, 10:47 am

Good Evening Gentlemen!
I am facing some problems with my engine oil. it is the first fine day and I took my A2 out of the shelter and took it for a ride. After 10 miles I got back and looked at the engine. On the oil pan was a mix of oil and white stuff. Looked like cream. So I suppose it is water that got in the oil circuit somehow.
The oil is coming out of the distributer flange. I did change the seal in it already some time ago but obviously it did not help. So what is it? Is it water? If so then I must have missed a crack in one of the cylinders while restoring it.
Also why is it pressing out of the distributer flange? Did I miss someting here when assembling the engine? There must be some pressure building while the engine is running.

by **Surveyor** » January 29th, 2018, 11:17 am

You need to place www. in front of address for pictures to show up here correctly... so instead of

Code: Select all: http://up.picr.de/31670165ft.jpg

you need

Code: Select all: http://www.up.picr.de/31670165ft.jpg

Edit - Weird, sometimes I see the image and when I come back it's just an x.

by **on-to-berlin** » January 29th, 2018, 12:37 pm

Hi, ok will do!

by **rickf** » January 29th, 2018, 1:53 pm

Is the engine oil level getting higher on the dipstick? Are you running coolant in the engine or straight water? What is the temperature gauge reading after it has warmed up? If it is not at least 180 degrees then you need a thermostat, what you have could be nothing more than condensation. If you are running coolant (antifreeze) in the system and you suspect that is getting in the oil stop running it since the coolant has silicates in it that will ruin the bearings. If the oil level is not rising then it is most likely condensation. There are not too many ways water can get from the cooling system into the oil other than a blown head gasket which is usually obvious or a cracked block. If none of the freeze plugs had ever been pushed out it is unlikely the block cracked. I suggest you drain the oil and then get a radiator tester to pressurize the radiator and put pressure in the radiator with the oil drain plug out and see if any coolant comes out of the drain plug. It may take an hour or so. If the system looses pressure consistently then it is leaking somewhere. If you don't get any coolant out of the drain plug with the radiator pressurized then the coolant is not getting into the oil. You will need to put fresh oil and a clean filter in a couple times to get all of the contaminated oil out. Use the cheapest oil you can find for this. I suggest two oil changes and then go with a new filter and good oil. If there is any question then run the second oil change for a while on the cheap oil and see if it get milky again, make sure the engine is getting up to full operating temperature.

by **rickf** » January 29th, 2018, 2:02 pm

After reading the post again I notice you only mention the color of the oil on the pan, Have you pulled the dipstick to see if it that way there also? And under the oil fill cap? It could be mixing with moisture on the outside of the pan. You definitely need a new gasket under the distributor but that is another problem.

by **on-to-berlin** » January 29th, 2018, 2:35 pm

Rick, the oil on the stick is fine. Also under the cap. So it could be jst condensation.
The Mutt stays in a container and there was condensation water all over the engine.

by **rickf** » January 29th, 2018, 5:00 pm

That is the problem, The oil was stuck to the engine and water condensed on and through it. The oil in the engine is fine. You have to get some ventilation in that container or you are going to have one large bucket of rust for a vehicle.

by **on-to-berlin** » January 30th, 2018, 2:10 am

O.k. that makes sense. But how do I get ventilation in the engine? As I said when I checked the engine everything looked fine. I cleaned it thoroughly, checked bearings, put new seals in etc. I am just thinking where I could have made a mistake? Oilpump was also installed correctly.
And when I changed the seal on the distributor I also checked again for scratches and cleaned it well.
Any ideas where to look for?

by **svramselaar** » January 30th, 2018, 5:01 am

hi

i do not know if you center the distribution cover
you must put the cover on and center it with the pully inside the seal
after this tighten the bolts now the seal is at the midle

there are also oversize seals with a sleeve
it is posseble you have put one in whitout the sleeve

george

by **rickf** » January 30th, 2018, 10:51 am

When I said ventilation I meant the container the vehicle is stored in. If you are getting that much condensation in there it will be forming in and on the body also and rusting! Ventilation in the engine is handled by the PCV valve on top of the intake manifold and if it is clogged it will cause oil leaks but usually at the front and rear crankshaft seals. I am not exactly sure what seals George is talking about, I will have to look in the manual but you probably know since you just did this. It sounds like possibly that seal is not sealing well.

by **on-to-berlin** » January 31st, 2018, 10:12 am

O.k. I will check the container where the Mutt is stored in. Will try to take the distributor out tonite and check the pulley.

by **on-to-berlin** » February 1st, 2018, 1:23 pm

O.k. Tonite I had time to remove the distributor and look whats going on. I had the round seal as it is supposed to be on the pulley. Also when I installed it I put some liquid seal between the block and the shaft. However, it was exactly the spot where the oil comes out.
So what am I missing? I looked at the parts book and there is also only a rround seal
I opened up a NOW gasket kit that I still had and there was also a round rubber seal but that one seems bigger.

Funny enough I figured that the carb gaskets match with the holes as well

by **on-to-berlin** » February 1st, 2018, 1:27 pm

So here are the rubber seals in comparisson. The small one was on the shaft. The big one was in the NOS gasket kit.

The Carb gasket fits suspiciously well. Except that the shaft hole is not big enough.

Maybe I get some thick gasket paper and make a new gasket myself and see what happens.