Massive Oil Leak - Looking For Help

[brian j 31]

Hi,

 

I have a 1.9GTI with aircon, hence the remote mounted oil filter/cooler on the front of the gearbox.

 

One of the pipes into the cooler was dripping oil, so I tweaked the union up a touch... it now literally pours out in a constant stream. I lost about 1.5 litres in about 5 miles before being alerted to the problem when I slowed down for a roundabout and disappeared in smoke from it burning off the exhaust!

 

I have unscrewed the pipe union and removed the pipe. The oil is definitely leaking from the union itself, the pipe looks absolutely fine, the rubber o-ring looks fine but I have replaced it with a new one from pug to be sure, the housing looks fine to the eye. The union screws up nicely and it is tight but the oil is still coming out in a constant stream when you give it any revs.

 

I don't want to bodge it because I am trying to make the car mint but the pipes aren't cheap, neither is the housing and I don't want to buy them on the off chance it will work. As far as I can tell on service box, both parts are model specific.

 

Has anyone got any ideas what I might try now because I'm kinda stumped?

[luggy 13]

Undo the union and put some plumbers tape (PTFE) on the thread and run your thumb over it, see if that resolves the issue.

[brian j 31]

Undo the union and put some plumbers tape (PTFE) on the thread and run your thumb over it, see if that resolves the issue.

 

I had thought of that, but it seems to be leaking between the pipe and the inside of the union, not around the threads themselves if that makes sense. I might still give it a go later though.

 

Thanks

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

I had a similar problem years ago with my 405 Mi16 leaking on the high pressure steel pipe coming off the PAS pump. No matter what I did I couldn't cure it, ended up changing the pipe and pump for another one and that got it. Can only assume the threads had become stretched and would not tighten properly.

[brian j 31]

I had a similar problem years ago with my 405 Mi16 leaking on the high pressure steel pipe coming off the PAS pump. No matter what I did I couldn't cure it, ended up changing the pipe and pump for another one and that got it. Can only assume the threads had become stretched and would not tighten properly.

 

I was hoping you weren't going to say that. The pipe is £46 and the filter housing is £117 and they are unique to post '91 205 GTI's with aircon so s/h spares could be tricky!

 

Did you swap both parts at the same time? or did you try one then the other? If so which didn't work, the housing or the pipe?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

You can find the remote filter on most post 91/2 205's as it became std fit as the oil cooler was ditched on later car's, Problem is most get damaged so finding a good one is difficult.

[brian j 31]

You can find the remote filter on most post 91/2 205's as it became std fit as the oil cooler was ditched on later car's, Problem is most get damaged so finding a good one is difficult.

 

Thanks for that Miles,

 

It is useful to know.

 

I can also confirm that PTFE tape does not fix it!

 

I put it back together with another new seal and PTFE tape and it seemed to hold so went for a quick spin around the block. Got about a mile from home and it started dumping oil at an alarming rate. I couldn't even get it back home before the oil pressure started dropping due to oil starvation so I immediately killed the engine and it it is currently parked up about half a mile from home. In a couple of hours when I'm less cheesed off, I'll stick some oil in it and see if I can get it back onto the drive.

 

I suppose a trip to the local dealer awaits...

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

I'm not totally 100% on the layout of these very late cars, but would it not be possible to junk the remote setup and replace with the earlier style oil filter arrangement, which could be done very cheaply?

[luggy 13]

I'm not totally 100% on the layout of these very late cars, but would it not be possible to junk the remote setup and replace with the earlier style oil filter arrangement, which could be done very cheaply?

 

The remote setup can be junked and just connect the oil filter direct to the block.

 

When I removed this from my 8v I was unable to remove the oil pipes without damaging the metal part of the pipes coming out of the block, I've got the housing which both pipes fit into on the water/oil exchange, if you can establish if the threads have been stripped/stretched within the housing you welcome to it for a small fee!

[brian j 31]

The remote setup can be junked and just connect the oil filter direct to the block.

 

When I removed this from my 8v I was unable to remove the oil pipes without damaging the metal part of the pipes coming out of the block, I've got the housing which both pipes fit into on the water/oil exchange, if you can establish if the threads have been stripped/stretched within the housing you welcome to it for a small fee!

 

Unfortunately I don't believe that the remote setup can be junked if you have aircon. The compressor is HUGE and right in the way.

 

PM me about the housing and we can talk price. The pipe union looks perfect and I'm thinking that the steel threads on the union should be stronger than the alloy on the housing, so I suspect the housing is at fault.

[welshpug 1,626]

is the compressor not on the sump not the block? hence below the filter?

[brian j 31]

is the compressor not on the sump not the block? hence below the filter?

 

The compressor is attached to the sump, but it is around 5" in diameter and 8" long so it may be possible to physically fit the oil filter on, but to do an oil and filter change you'd have to remove the inlet manifold because the starter and aircon compressor sort of overlap from below giving no kind of access and there's no room between the compressor and the radiator.

[luggy 13]

Having a look through the for sale section for some parts I stumbled across this

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...=91473&st=0

 

If you get no joy PM me and we'll sort something out

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

Another option in my eyes would be to junk all the Pug stuff with its weird pipe thread sizes and convert toi aftermarket stuff, you would need a sandwich plate and a remote filter head and two short lengths of pipe making up, I reckon this could be done for less than replacing all the Pug stuff from a main dealer.

[brian j 31]

Thanks all for your help, particularly luggy for the filter mount.

 

I have finally traced the root of the problem. One of the oil pipes must have had the union over-tightened at some point and it has slightly deformed the pipe at that point so that it is narrowed just where the seal sits, allowing the oil to get past between the pipe and the seal!

 

All I need to do is source a replacement pipe and I'm pretty confident I can sort it.

 

Why is it that no-matter how nice your GTI is they seem to attract ham-fisted previous owners?