Dumb oil filler question...

[duddlebug]

I don't think I've ever asked a question about filling oil up before, so sorry if I sound dumb.

I've got a 1970 swiss army van, which seem to have a very long oil filler (see pic). Others I've seen appear to be shorter. It's difficult enough getting anything in to top up the oil, but when i do, most of it seems to divert down a breather pipe (?) and runs onto my garage floor. At least it did at first, now it diverts into a bowl on the garage floor.

What's the black tin bit? What's inside it, and why is the oil heading out the pipe, rather than down into the engine? How do I fill the oil without it diverting down the pipe? Any good tips on topping up oil with the limited access. Do people use some kind of pipe or special jug?

It doesn't need much oil, and has used very little in more than 1000 miles since I bought it in June. But I'm off to Pembrokeshire in the morning for a proper camping trip and was just topping up.

(I've nicked the photo from Alpine Burt's thread, who was the previous owner.)

PS. I've been running a 1979 viking camper for twelve years (about to go into the garage for a proper restoration) with a 2litre type 4 engine, which (i hate to say it on earlybay) does have the filler in a more sensible place! And my Morris Traveller is even better with a nice big hole right on top of the engine. But I really shouldn't say something like that on a VW forum.

 

[68_early_bay]

Should help you for top ups I have an old 1 litre gearbox oil bottle with engine oil in under the seat the one with the telescopic neck helps you squirt it in easier rather than trying to pour it in 8)

 

[mike202]

what about a short length of hose connected to a funnel ? Push the hose right down into the oil filler past the metal drip tube and all the oil will go into the engine

 

[duddlebug]

Thanks for the suggestions!

Most of the other filler tubes I've seen seem to have the filler cap on top of the black metal bit, whereas mine has another six inches of filler neck, so i was thinking of using a tube of some sort. I just wondered what was in the black metal bit. Is it just a hollow bit of metal?

I was thinking of using the flexi-tube that came with my petrol container, but a hose is a good idea! (ANd I'll have to info an old oil bottle that's not of the five litter variety!)

 

[Happystamps]

Wow, that's a pretty mad setup. I assume the alternator is for a leisure battery/something beefy?
I've not seen that type of extension before, most of the others I've seen extend vertically. Does it look professionally made, or is it a knock-together job? either way if it's causing you trouble you could always remove it- sell it on the samba for millions of dollars.

 

[subheatadey]

Where the oil breather tube goes there is a wire mesh filter in there, I suppose to collect oilvapour over time they can get clogged with 'gloop' and occasional need cleaning soaking that but does detach if you look inside there is a fastener and generally they are tight as fook. You can get a special tool or make your own to unfasten but you will need to hold it in a vice.

 

[Moseley]

Take a look on the halfords website - they do a useful range of 'Laser' oil jugs in various sizes which have a screw cap on the top and the filler tube. Useful to take with you on journeys and probably solves your problem.

 

[weeboll]

is the extra length pipe original or been added later, it looks from the photo that its been added so that the it gets past the vertical support brace of whatever it is above the original dyno

 

[duddlebug]

The long neck is actually part of the black metal bit with the oil breather. You can see the join, but it's all one piece. (SUbheatadey… That's what i wondered. I have no idea what's in there!!)

This is an ex-Swiss military radio van, and the the alternator is original, to power all the extra gubbins required (there are various electrical sockets on the outside of the van and would've been lots of power required inside the van), and has it's own pulley wheel outside the normal one (it's hard to make out in the photo, but there are two pulley wheels). I have wondered if I should remove the alternator if the van no longer needs the extra charging power, or if the alternator's no longer doing anything (I'd better learn a bit about wiring and check) but then it's part of the original set up of the van, along with Eberspacher heater and crank start and it'd be nice to keep it all there. The van still has dual tone sirens on the front and a blue light on the roof. I think it'll need some further investigation….

So i think the length of pipe is to clear the alternator (good point weeboll), but it makes it silly difficult/time consuming to top up oil. Luckily the van doesn't use much, but I'm not looking forward to an oil change. If only it had an inspection hatch like later vans!

I did email Alpine Burt, and he said they used a hose and jug/funnel to fill up and it was a little laborious!!!

So for now I'll get myself some decent pipe that gets far down enough, and fill that way. With a smaller container too. I might check out the 'laser' doodahs from Halfords. (eDiT: Just looked at them online, they look great. Might pop into a Halfords on the way to Pembrokeshire and see if the pipe's long enough!)

AT some point I fancy dropping the engine, to clean up and re-detail, so maybe I could investigate alternative solutions then. But plenty of other stuff to do first, not least the 79 bay camper. The engine's fairly low mileage too at just over 50000km.

 

[weeboll]

looking at the photo again - its must be a very short/small alternator if the air filter pipe manages to go behind it.

 

[Tristan71]

Don't remove anything !!!!

 

[lil_azza]

Such a cool engine bay u should leave it, iv pondered on fitting a normal alt like that too