[Vwdiesel] Oil-tight diesel - does it exist?

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

  Usually oil on the back side is from the valve cover.  It's possible it's
from
the head gasket but that usually comes out about #3 and at the front and
then works it's way around.  If it's not the valve cover leaking, which it
shouldn't be, then check your oil pressure sender, in the end of the head.
They are fairly notorious.
  Front seals do tend to start leaking after they're about 60K miles old.
All 3 are the same and can be replaced in the car.  Good time to do a
timing belt or do them when you do one.  You don't want to miss the
thin green o-ring around the intermediate shaft seal holder.  It gets
hard and cracks.  Pulling the holder makes replacing that seal much
easier too.
  Pan gaskets are usually trouble free.  Check bolt tension on it if you
want.  It's not all that tight.  Drain plugs that are missing the copper
gasket are much more common leakers.  All that's left is the o-ring
on the vacuum pump and the rear main.  :)  The oil filler cap is prone
to weeping but the gasket is cheap and available.  I've bought several
for <$1.00 as I recall.  I can get them for Mercedes as well Shalyn.  ;-)
  To clean the back side it's just a matter of cranking the wheels to
each side and getting in behind the tire while the back of it is outward.
You can also sneak in between the firewall and block from the driver's
side.  Local DIY car wash usually works well for that.  To get it really
good usually takes getting all the leaks fixed and going through a
slushy winter.
     Loren