Date:         Tue, 14 Mar 2000 06:00:19 PST
Reply-To:     Richard Bias <rbias@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Bias <rbias@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Head gasket again...
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Good morning All,
  I am looking for a little re-assurance (if possible) and some advice.  I
am currently doing my second head gasket replacement in the six or so months
I have owned our Vanagon (1985, 8 passenger, 1.9L, White GL).  The first
head gasket job came when I sprung a leak to the outside world of streaming
blue coolant.  I cleaned the heads and the cylinder barrels myself.  I was
extremely careful to do a precise job, took close to a month, with more than
a couple of "all day'ers".  I took my time as this was my first time with a
water cooled.  I had a Bus in HS that I did a lot of successful work on the
engine, brakes, clutch, front end (don't ask), body...  My current situation
happened on a 700 mile trip to Pittsburgh.  I had compression pressure in
the coolant system.  I understand that I may have not had the heads "sand
blasted" cleaned the first time but how does the compression head gasket
leak?  I just brought both heads to the shop and they got the OK on the
pressure test and there is very little to no pitting (I know what a pitted
head looks like too).  Why do you suppose they leaked?
  Second question, What do you lubricate coolant hoses with to make them
slide on their male flanges easier?  Thanks for any words of wisdom and or
support.
  Rich and Annemarie
85 GL "Buba"
98 Bug
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