Jezebel In Trouble

[vanbcguy]

Driving home today... First I notice my turbo is sounding a little strange.  About 30 seconds later my oil pressure alarm/light comes on - shut her down and coasted to the side of the road right quick.

Look behind me and there's a trail of oil all the way to the car, and a puddle was already oozing out the front.  Good thing is it looks like I caught it before there was any engine damage (she still sounded fine).  Bad news is it looks like it's probably my intermediate shaft seal based on where all the oil is coming from - top of the engine seems "clean" (no more than was there before anyhow) and it seems like the bulk of the oil is coming from the timing belt cover.

She's on the side of the road a ways from my house, so there's not a heck of a lot I can do.  I already know I'm going to have to get a tow, but trying to sort out my options before hand....   All I have to work on my car is the street in front of my house so there's only so much I can tackle myself on this one.

Can the intermediate shaft seal be done without pulling the engine?  I know you need to pull it to do the bearings, but can you just remove the intermediate shaft pulley to do the shaft seal?

[truckinwagen]

the IM shaft seal is easy, remove the pulley, and then unbolt the seal carrier.
it can all be done in  the car.

but you said the turbo sounded different, thats because of the drop in oil pressure, lets hope the turbo did not eat itself in the time it didnt have oil...

[vanbcguy]

It only spooled about twice with the oil pressure low (not that I knew that was what was happening at the time)... Still made boost like normal.  I think I caught it in time to prevent damage, thanks to VW's dynamic oil pressure warning system!!

[Smokey Eddy]

one good reason why i kept the "above 2,000 rpm" pressure sensor.
nice that you caught it. do you actually live in van or do you live in the valley?

[vanbcguy]

Yeah, I'm half way through putting a proper oil pressure gauge in, but decided to keep the "alarm" sensor - absolutely no reason not to!!

I'm in Vancouver proper, right up behind Vancouver General Hospital.

[vanbcguy]

Got her towed to the shop today (why does this stuff always happen on a long weekend??)...  Sure enough the IM shaft seal is toast.  Shop is going to do all the seals on that end of the engine given that everything is exposed at this point anyhow.  $500 later (not including tow charges).....