Massive Oil Leak

[fatmobile]

I'd throw the lower timing belt cover and waterpump belt on.
You'll still be able to see if it's leaking,..
 and the waterpump belt can go on when you put the crank pully on. I think you'll need to put the crank pully on so the belt doesn't run off the edge, it might sit fine, run right in the middle but if it does decide to wonder it might fall right off the crank sprocket.
 If you have to put the crank pully back on, might as well have the waterpump belt on it,.. even if it doesn't have the lower cover installed,.. but chances are it won't leak in the first 3 mins and you'll have to put the lower timing belt cover on anyway.

[SolarSteve]

I'd throw the lower timing belt cover and waterpump belt on.
You'll still be able to see if it's leaking,..
 and the waterpump belt can go on when you put the crank pully on. I think you'll need to put the crank pully on so the belt doesn't run off the edge, it might sit fine, run right in the middle but if it does decide to wonder it might fall right off the crank sprocket.
 If you have to put the crank pully back on, might as well have the waterpump belt on it,.. even if it doesn't have the lower cover installed,.. but chances are it won't leak in the first 3 mins and you'll have to put the lower timing belt cover on anyway.

I though about this overnight and you have me second guessing my idea!  I am now paranoid of the T-belt coming of the crank sproket so I think I'm just going to install the seal and put it all back together again and then check for leaks.  I really don't want to be in it for a head and pistons just to see if a seal is leaking.

Thanks

[rs899]

Am I missing something?  Are you afraid of running the engine without timing belt covers?

I have been running my Caddy for 15 years nekkid

[maxfax]

At the least I'd put the crank pulley on there to try it.   Even I am not brave enough to try it without that....

Libby, the true kick to the balls is when you do finally put the timing covers back on only to have something fly up and break a chunk of it off into the TB..      Irony anyone?

[SolarSteve]

THE JETTA RIDES AGAIN!!

I got my seal, o-ring and T-belt around 3 pm and started the re-assemble.  I made sure the carrier and the block around it were super clean and I pressed the seal into the carrier.  Applied grease to the seal lip and installed the carrier/seal assy.  I installed the T-belt without loosening the cam sprocket.  I kept the pump pinned and the cam locked, made sure the timing marks on the flywheel lined up and just slipped the new belt on.  Once it was on and tensioned the pin and the lock plate slid out easily.  I rotated the engine 4 times clockwise and then lined up the flywheel marks and the plate and the pin slid back in.

Then I installed the lower T-belt cover and the VC.  No crank pulleys, no belts.  I figured if the belt wants to walk off, the cover will stop it.  I made sure everything was clear and started the engine.  It fired on the first crank.  I got out and examined the IM, no leaks.  I let let it run for about 2 minutes and shut it down.

I finished the re-assembly, fought with the Alt belt for like an hour, put the right wheel back on, lowered it, topped off the oil and fired it back up.  Oh yeah, I love the rubber VC gasket, re-used it, no leaks!

Once running I checked over everything, no leaks and I headed for Home Depot.  The car really smelt like an oil refinery.  I stoped twice to check for leaks.  I bought a gallon of this purple degreaser stuff made by Zep and the I went to the DIY carwash.  I jacked up the car and pulled the front right wheel and sprayed everything down with the Zep stuff.  It worked really well and I got a lot of the oil and sludge off. And finally drove it home and got some dinner.

The new seal seems to have done the trick and it looks like I should be good to go for the drive to work tommorow.

Thank you all very much for the help and advice, this is a wonderful site with many knowlegable poeple who are kind enough to help others, please don't change!

[rs899]

re my lack of timing belt

Running without the timing covers has never seemed like a good idea to me.  I know of several people who have ruined their engines that way.  If any of the v-belts ever break, there's a darn good chance that you're engine will be ruined.  I know of a couple people who's engines died because of bolts vibrating loose and falling into the timing belt.  I know of one from a gob of glue the fellow used on his intake.  Another one died from a rock that got tossed up.  And my personal favorite is one that died from a plastic grocery bag that was in the street and got sucked up into the timing belt when the fellow drove over it.  Grin  Despite the imminent destruction of the engine, there are other less dramatic downsides such as water spraying on the timing belt when it is raining and causing the intermediate shaft to slip and consequently the oil pump and vac pump.

I hear you and these are all very good reasons, but all I can say is that I am a careful person and I drive with the awareness that I don't have a timing belt cover.  That means  that I don't run over things that might pop up under the car etc.  We don't have rocks in Florida.  I just hate the way the early covers fit....

[8v-of-fury]

I just hate the way the early covers fit....

Funny, I hate the way an engine sounds when it implodes lol