Author Topic: I'm leaking diesel from somewhere.... (Read 3090 times)

ry_guy · « **on:** September 23, 2007, 01:07:25 pm »

I noticed recently my gas gauge is moving quite a bit more than normal on the 1 hour drive to my friends house in RI. When I got there I noticed diesel is running down the front of the block and down the oil pan on the leftish side.

His dad recommended that I wash the engine bay to further see where the leak is coming from. I power washed the bay but I still can't track down the leak. It's def a good leak. It drips once or twice every 5 seconds or so.

Could this be my injection pump seals? I'm such a diesel n00b and don't know where to look.

Also assuming it is the imjection pump which is also the worst possible outcome what's the going rate now-a-days for rebuild injection pumps from local diesel mechanics? Or is it something a DIY'er like myself could tackle with proper tools and a walkthrough?

Thanks!

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2007, 01:19:07 pm »

There are lots and lots of places where diesel could be leaking... you are going to have to narrow it down.

Check:

- where the fuel hoses connect to the pump
- both ends of the metal tubes between the pump and the injectors (metal things that look like spark plugs where the sparkplugs normally go)
- front of the pump
- back of the pump
- behind the pump

Each of these is a different fix unfortunately... but no worries... we'll help !!

If you can manage pictures that would work even better!

Vince

ry_guy · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2007, 01:48:03 pm »

Thanks for the ultra quick and pleasant response. This forum is so unvortex like :lol: .

Upon further inspection the pump is leaking on the bottom of the back right corner. I took some pictures but they came out sorta crappy.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2007, 02:23:06 pm »

That's our aim... be as unvortex as possible !!

OK, back right corner... a real common place for a leak is in between the aluminum-looking section of the pump and the cast iron block (that the 4 fuel tubes attach too)... there's an o-ring in between that section that gets leaky over time.

A leak at that corner could also come from the cold start lever... it's the lever thingie a cable attaches to at the back of the pump.

The big o-ring can be replaced with the pump in the car using some clever trickery... the o-ring itself is cheap. Search the forums here and you'll find lots of discussion... it needs to be done correctly or you will have pieces all over the ground and perhaps be pump shopping.

If it's coming from the cold start lever it's 2 smaller o-rings... again very cheap but the pump will need to come out of the car.

Vince

ry_guy · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2007, 03:36:13 pm »

Thanks for the advice. Is there anyway to REALLY verify where the leak is coming from? I mean, I can see it leaking from the bottom corner of the pump but that's about it. If it's the one single O ring and it can be done inside the car I'd like to attempt it myself. But if it's anything otherwise I guess I'll source a good VW diesel mechanic in the area and have them take care of it.

ry_guy · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2007, 06:17:23 am »

burn_your_money · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2007, 09:26:33 am »

Quote from: "libbybapa"

In my experience sourcing a "good vw mechanic" is quite difficult.

That's the truth. It's usually a very expensive and painful experience

subsonic · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2007, 09:39:55 am »

Haans ,Wolfgang , or Dietrich always want top dollar.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2007, 01:41:34 pm »

Quote from: "subsonic"

Haans ,Wolfgang , or Dietrich always want top dollar.

Don't make me tell my "1 dollar to hit the pump with a hammer, 999 dollars to know where to hit" story... ;-)

burn_your_money · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2007, 03:34:18 pm »

Why not, it's a good story :lol:

subsonic · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:49:45 pm »

I just used that one today!!!!