Anyone had this happen?

[Bora Sport]

Darling wife dropped the daughter at the bus stop this morning in the trusty Vento. Luckily only a 800 metre round trip. The car left a trail of oil on the driveway when she drove in. She told me about it but as I have been crook with the flu I didn't take it too seriously.

Took a look this afternoon. Huge pool of oil under the car. I initially thought that she had holed the sump. Checked the dip stick. No oil showing on the stick at all! After a look around I couldn't see anything untoward so I suggested she start it up. Oil just ****ed out of the gap where the water and oil heat exchanger (oil filter below) joins up to bracket and oil feed on the block.

I'm guessing that perhaps the 'O' ring has deteriorated. I won't know until I take it apart this weekend but at least there is definitely no oil in the coolant or vice versa.

I was just wondering if anyone like Loon or JMac has seen it happen before. The engine has done over 350,000k's and its all still original.

[Bug_racer]

happens often enough for me to keep the o-ring in stock

[Mrk_Mickey]

Ouch....starting it with no oil level on the dipstick? You're brave...hahaha. I'm sure the engine is bulletproof though, 350,000km is a respectable feat. Good luck with it mate

[Jmac]

Yeah happens mate and after a few oil changes, the cooler sometimes gets a little turn when you loosen the filter, so the on and off action over a while can cause it. Not uncommon mate. Just on that ive seen some nasty things with filter changes on V6 Audi and Vw engines - the cooler has been turned slightly on loosen and kinks the small cooler pipes causing them rub through causing a coolant leak, all of this happens within weeks of the oil change. I know yours is oil and will be the O ring but thought i would mention this too.
Cheers
JMac

[Bora Sport]

Thanks for the replies. Its good to know that it's not a one off then. I've heard of the oil cooler/(heater) failng from corrosion before but I've not heard of this happening. I've always done all my own oil changes on this car since we bought it with 96,000 k's on the clock many years ago.

I guess I've been lucky so far because this is at least the 4th Golf/Vento that I've had for a total distance driven of well over 500,000 k's and the first time that I've had this happen. My wife regularly drives to Brisbane and also to the Gold Coast so I am lucky that it didn't happen in the middle of one of those trips.

I just rang Garry Cricks and they had the 'O' ring in stock so I guess that tells me something too.

Cheers