Back right axle smoking, oil on underside of car?

bay_ridge_bug · Post by **bay_ridge_bug** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:49 pm

Alright, first off, I'm just learning and while I should get my '66 bug towed into a local shop to get the work done like I used to do when I lived in Maryland and had a great VW autohaus to take it to, I'd like to start taking care of it myself. (esp. since I now live in Charlottesville, Virginia and wouldn't trust anyone else with it) So I thought maybe someone here could at least get me started on accessing the problem:

(to note, I have started reading the J.Muir Volkswagen manual)

After an extended period of sitting in storage (two years) with minimal running, I drove it 180 miles to Virginia, added another 30 miles to it on my wedding day, ran some errands (once drove ten cases of wine about a 1/2 mile and fear I overloaded it), and finally, on my final drive back to my house, I started to notice what felt like friction limiting the back axle so the car didn't coast as freely in neutral.

I pulled into the driveway at this point concerned, parked, and noticed smoke coming out of the rear wheelwell like there had been a lot of heat created. I cooled it down with the hose (maybe a bad move, I know, but it all feels like a bad move at this point, right?), more steam came out, it cooled off, and then I just let it sit not knowing what to do, went on a honeymoon, wife moved in, holidays came and went , guilt remained, bought the manual, looked under the car, noticed there was an oily residue on most areas under the motor, remained concerned and wrote this.

When I start the car, it smells rich, there's a puff of white smoke to start that goes away quickly and it sounds fine (if a little loud - i did notice a rusted hole in the bend of an exhaust-like pipe, bottom right of the engine) .

Keep in mind, yes, I know I'm an idiot, and two, I love this car and want to learn how to repair as much of it as I can.

Any tips on what might be the problem?

Thanks,
Paul

DC-Dubs · Post by **DC-Dubs** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:26 pm

Congadulations on your wedding! I don't believe you overloaded the vehicle to cause any damage. Second, very few VWs don't have some oil residue on the bottom of the engine. Especially after sitting and not running for a long time. Your valve cover gaskets probably should be replaced after sitting so long. You probably need a valve adjustment. The idiots guide by John Muir offeres a very detailed step by step process to adjust valves. As for the rear wheel issues, I would jack up the car to have the rear wheel off the ground. Obviously take all necessary safety precautions before, during, and after the process. With ebrake off and out of gear try spinning the wheel. If it spins and rumbles loudly it's likely a bad wheel bearing. If it doesn't spin or drags real bad it's likely a stuck brake shoe. Just a place to start anyway.... Best of luck! Let us know what you find..

DC-Dubs · Post by **DC-Dubs** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:40 pm

Keep in mind no body thinks your an idiot for wanting to fix your VW! It's a great cause and it can be great fun! Your new wife may think otherwise... Jack it up and see what you find out.

bay_ridge_bug · Post by **bay_ridge_bug** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 1:03 pm

excellent! Thanks for the starting tips (and wedding wishes) - they seem like perfect places to start.

I'll pick up some bottle jacks and go from there next weekend. I can't wait!

DC-Dubs · Post by **DC-Dubs** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:30 pm

Please note that when jacking up your car especially with bottle jacks there is not many good places to put the jack. DO NOT put it under the floor pan. And usually bottle jacks are to tall to fit anywhere good under the car. You are much better off investing in a small floor jack that has a lower profile. And jack under the tranny or very carefully under the motor where the sump plate is and then set some jack stands securely under the axles...

DC-Dubs · Post by **DC-Dubs** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:18 pm

Sorry, my phone died and only half the message got sent.
Anyway, just be carefull. The floor pans are just sheet metal and won't take the weight of the car without seriously bending the floor. A small floor jack won't be to cost prohibitive and generally much safer. Jack stands are a must if your going to crawl under it. Don't hesitate to throw out any questions along the way! Best of luck...

fatalifeaten · Post by **fatalifeaten** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:25 pm

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, JACK UNDER THE SUMP PLATE!!!!!!!!!! You're risking permanent damage to your engine by using it as a jacking point. Anything from splitting the case seams and making it leak, to the car slipping and you punching a hole through the case with your bottle jack. Use the Torsion tubes forward of the rear wheels out back, and the beam up front. Both of these areas are solidly connected to the chassis and can take the weight and stress of supporting the car. Put it on jackstands. If you don't have any, Go and get a pair (or 4). your local FLAPS or Harbor Freight should have a set for between 20 and 30 bucks, (2 ton is sufficient for a bug) and that's cheap insurance when it's your life we're talking about here. Both the beam and the torsion tube housing seat nice and securely into the saddle on most jackstands.

I'm with DC, get a nice floor jack and keep the bottle jack in the trunk for changing flats.

DC-Dubs · Post by **DC-Dubs** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:53 pm

Yes, definitely not with a bottle jack. It would likely not fit under the sump plate anyway, and more importantly it could cause the damage fatal spoke of and if it did slip the more likely damage is bent push rod tubes and push rods. Seen it happen! Or bodily injury! My floor jack has a plate that couples up with the sump plate nicely and I feel comfortable doing so. But you are better off following the advice of Fatalifeaten.... I would never want to be responsible for giving bad advice..

1966veedub · Post by **1966veedub** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:48 am

What about using a floor jack below the stock jack supports? Is that an okay place to raise the car from? I know they're there for use with the jacks that come with the vw's, but I thought I'd ask...

fatalifeaten · Post by **fatalifeaten** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:09 pm

If you look under there you're going to see floor pans, and some thin vertical sheet metal running along the edge of the floor pan. Even the stock jack points were weak in the best of times, IMO. I've seen more cars than I can count that people tried to lift with a stock jack and ripped the ears right off the car.

The saving grace is that the car itself doesn't weigh much to begin with, but for me it's something on the chassis or a full lift and nothing else.

Blue Baron · Post by **Blue Baron** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:03 pm

Sounds like a rear brake dragging. It could be a sticking wheel cylinder or a brake pad come loose from the shoe and binding, but most likely the rear brake hoses need to be replaced.

The hoses become constricted with age, like hardened arteries, making it impossible for the springs in the brakes to push the fluid back to the master cylinder. Replace all the brake hoses, front and rear, if they look old.