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Date:         Fri, 6 Oct 2000 22:39:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject:      Re: 1990 waterboxer heads - a popular topic....
Comments: To: Donald Baxter <onanov@MINDSPRING.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> I went the new engine route--remanufactured from VW, four years ago.

Well let's not get confused... remanufactured is not a new engine.

Actually, I don't remember the details but some posted the industry(?) definitions for the definitions/labels of remanufactured and rebuilt a year or two ago and I seem to remember that term remanufactured was surprizingly deceptive in that it was a lesser standard than rebuilt... I think... but could be wrong.... but it's definately not new.

In addition, I asked my mechanic about remanufactured and he said there is as much problem with them as there is with a good quality rebuilt... personally, I dunno.

Bill

After > 75,000 miles and reading lots of stories on this list I can say I'm glad I > did. It was expensive--around $3600 including the install, but over the > long haul I can't help but think it was the cheaper and less troublesome way > to go. > > Good luck. > > Donald Baxter in Iowa City > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Don Sachs" <donsachs@TELUS.NET> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 5:31 PM > Subject: 1990 waterboxer heads - a popular topic.... > > > > Hi All, > > > > After 240,000 km (150,000 miles for the metricly challenged :-) ), I have > > seen the first coolant drip from one of the heads on my 1990 Westalia. No > > other problems, runs great, only drips slightly when cold. I know the > worst > > is coming. Thought I would get a few opinions as to a reasonable course > of > > action. My oil consumption is very slight, I change it about every > 5,000 - > > 6,000 km and use about 1/2 - 3/4 litre between changes. I have heard new > > engines aren't much better. So I thought we'd park the van as usual > around > > Dec. 1 when the snow gets deep on our long driveway and do the job in the > > spring just after breakup (of my driveway). The cost of new heads here in > > Canada is about $590 each for the AMC ones - plus you gotta buy the gasket > > kits. That is just about the same as the US cost if you do the currency > > conversion. While I have done mucho auto work in the past I now have two > > small children and I could never find the time to do a major project > anymore > > so I will pay my local - and very trusty - independent VW mechanic for > > labour. My options are to: > > > > 1. Replace just one head - the cheapest, but hey, if you are draining > the > > cooling system and the heads are the same age, how long 'til the other one > > goes...(cost is about $1,100 - $1,200). > > 2. Replace both heads and pray that the cylinders and bottom end hold up > > for at least another 60,000 km or so (2-3 years for us).... they appear to > > be fine now given the good power, oil pressure, and fairly low oil > > consumption. (cost is about $1900 or so if no other problems discovered..) > > > > 3. Bite the bullet and do the whole engine, bottom end and everything and > > be relatively trouble free for 5 years or so. I can get a really good > > complete rebuilt one for $3,000 plus about $500 labour to re and re. Or > my > > mechanic says he can completely rebuild mine for about $3,500 also. We > are > > talking new everything here. He says it is my call and that putting new > > heads on my current engine might well get me another 60 - 80,000 km before > > the major engine problems set in. Or, he says about 1 in 10 he has tried > to > > put heads on have the cylinders stuck and screwed up. > > > > Soooooo, given all the waterboxer owners out there - and all you mechanics > > on the list.... I would like to hear the various opinions. I don't know > > how lucky I feel, but I am inclined to save cash now and just do both > heads > > unless I miraculously run into more income over the winter and hope to get > > another couple or three years > > out of the bottom end. The body and paint are immaculate so I am keeping > > the van long-term. How long have your engines gone before a major rebuild > > was required? All opinions will be considered! > > > > thanks, > > don >


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