[:'(]
My 96 JETTA starting puking oil badly. It started leaking very rapidly from the bracket/casting assembly above the oil filter. The bracket assembly seems to be constructed of multiple components. Not sure if one is a heat exchanger. Things were much too cold on the side of the highway near Anchorage to conduct much of a diagnosis. I got the car into a shop where I can work on it tomorrow but I thought I would try out the forum and see if anyone had any suggestions before I start work in the morning?

carl

 

If something is puking oil, and you have a general idea.
Replace it. Don't take chances with losing large amounts
of oil.


-Jeff

 

i dont know off the top of my head what it could be, but please let us know for future owners who may have issues!!

 

Well, after 30 minutes of work in a nice heated shop bay I tracked down the offending culprit
It seem that right above the oil filter is an oil cooler assembly.
Two heater hose size coolant lines connect to it and obviously the engine oil flows through it from the adaptor/bracket connecting to the engine block to the oil filter below
The oil cooler to adaptor connection is sealed by an O-ring. My Jetta's o-ring succumbed to last 0 degree Fahrenheit temp as well as 160,000 miles- just in case anyone is into Mean Time Between Failure(MTFB). It cracked and was leaking (puking) oil vigorously! It did pump out the crankcase contents- well nothing was showing on th dipstick.
It is a good thing VW has a loud warning signal and very visible warning light or I would have had premature engine disassembly.
Seems the local VW was sold out --mine wasn't the first for them this winter. Got a o-ring from a local shop specializing in German autos. Cost was less than $7 for the part plus add the oil, oil filter and we're back on the road.

Might be a hazard associated with older vehicles and aging oil cooler rings because last year I had a similiar failure on a 6.9 liter Ford Diesel.