For the archives:

 

1986 westy

 

Had a modest drip coming the engine from the area around the oil drain plug, made some feeble attempts to locate but never had any luck.  I did post to the list a few months ago and received many helpful replies, and many suggested the oil cooler o-ring was the culprit.  I cleaned things up a bit and watched and thought this may be the case, I tightened the fitting and ordered a new ring thinking I had licked the leak.  It still leaked.....

 

I was willing to let sleeping dogs lies but I realized that on long drives I got the splatters on my hatch, so this week I did a thorough bottom half degreasing and pressure wash and figured it out, the freaking oil pressure sender behind the water pump was leaking.  I had already purchased a replacement when I went through the oil warning rehab two years ago. 

 

There are lots of posts on how to replace the sender, this is what worked for me;

 

1)  Removed water pump pulley (13mm)

2)  moved belts out way (loosened AC belt)

3)  remove wire to sender w/ long nosed pliers, cleaned area w/ rag

4)  put run of the mill 24mm deep socket (craftsman) on sender (figured out I had to coax some tin back w/ screwdriver) 

5)  inserted 1/2 to 3/8 adapter halfway into socket put a 13mm wrench on the exposed part of the adapter

6)  sender came very easily with bushing attached of course used 22 mm wrench to get bushing off of sender

7)  cleaned bushing mating areas and attached to new sender,

8)  became very irritated when I realized I had every size copper washer but one I needed, went to FLAPS 1/2 mile away to get one

9)  Put sender back in van, replaced belts, just realized I half to snug up h20 pump pulley bolts or my wife is going to be ticked off at me when she takes dog to vet tomorrow

10) went for some local driving to get van up to temp, no sign of any drippage when looking under van

 

Can someone tell me why I didn't just do this earlier????

 

 

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