Well it took a few months but I have fixed the oil leak. I did 4 things that lead to the fix, which one fixed it, I am not sure, but it is fixed for now.
- Replacing an AN-NPT fitting and coating it in Gasoila
- Replace valve cover gaskets (a post on thesamba.com said it might be a cause)
- Check that breather hoses are clear by running a wire through them
- Remove some oil
Although that combined with doing these things before –
- Replacing the oil pump cover and gasket https://robonza.com/beetle/index.php/2026/03/02/leaky-oil-pump-fix/
- Replacing the oil breather filter https://robonza.com/beetle/index.php/2026/04/05/replacing-the-breather-filter/
- Removing the crank pulley to tighten the pump cover to spec
I replaced the old AN fitting with a new one from Summit Racing and sealed the NPT threads with Gasoila. This stopped all leaks in that spot. A test drive went great.
However 10 minutes after getting home it was leaking from the pulley. So onto the next fix.
I replaced the valve cover gaskets with neoprene valve cover gaskets from JBugs. I wanted to try them, nothing wrong with Cork, but why not try something new?
When I put the valve covers on, I use the Empi O-rings and Neoprene coated washers to keep oil from leaking at the bolts. I use neoprene coated washers in the nuts and bolts bins you find at the hardware store. But these completely stop oil from leaking from the bolt on the valve covers.
Then I ran a piece of electrical cord through the breather hoses to make sure they were clear, they were.
And lastly I used a little syringe from an old mtb blake bleed kit to remove some oil from the motor. It was more or less at the top of the two lines on the dip stick before, now it is in the middle. All of these things and 30+ miles of driving on the highway and off road with no leaks!
Also check this amazing Toyota out, just when you think you have the coolest rig at the grocery store.
So the test drive was fun.
And after that, no oil on the test paper. I seriously looked at that every 30 minutes waiting to see my victory crushed by the harsh reality of my mediocre VW mechanic skills.
Parts:
- Gasoila https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/gasoila/gasoila-4-ounce-blue-high-thread-sealant/gso0/ss04
- AN / NPT fitting https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-220846b
- Neoprene Valve Gaskets https://www.jbugs.com/product/9088.html