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Date:         Fri, 23 Jun 2000 18:34:56 -0500
Reply-To:     Colin Moran <bolliver@ipa.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Colin Moran <bolliver@ipa.net>
Subject:      Toasted head
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Hello to all, Well I had one of the common failures bite me in the butt. The plastic hose connection on the passenger side of the engine compartment failed. This is the connector that supports the tubes going to the Front of the van for the radiator. Why did Volkswagen make it out of plastic?? I was on highway heading home from work, running at about 70 mph. The weather was hot right around 90 deg. Everything was fine, engine temp was a bit high but not out of the operating range. The first indication I had of a problem was a sudden power loss. I began to check my gauges. At first nothing looked out of the ordinary. I depressed the clutch and headed for the shoulder. When I did all the lights and buzzers went off. I got a low oil warning, low water warning, and the temp gauge shot up. I immediately shut down the motor. After stopping I looked under the rear of the van as I walked round the back. water was streaming down from under the engine on the drivers side and from the front of the engine compartment on the passenger side. I opened the engine cover and looked for the leaks. The first was easy. The plastic connector had split dumping water out. It didn't happen all at once, or I would have seen the plume of steam behind the van. The other leak was from the drivers side head gasket. After a long walk to a phone I had the van hauled home.

I just finished pulling the head from the drivers side. During removal I found a push rod for the exhaust valve bent bent. I checked the head and found severe erosion in the combustion chamber. Material has burned way form the spark plug hole and the exhaust valve seat. Seems the engine was running hot for some time. I'm not sure way the water level alarm failed to work. As a result I need to buy a new or rebuilt head. I don't think this one is salvageable. I would appreciate recommendations on where to get a new head.

Colin 1986 Synro GL "The Bronze Brick"


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