Date:         Fri, 10 May 2002 18:04:47 -0300
Reply-To:     Various <AllStuff@HANS-WILLY.MYIP.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Various <AllStuff@HANS-WILLY.MYIP.ORG>
Subject:      Head gasket leak - does retorquing work?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

G'day one and all.

I have a 1984 VW Canada refurbished 1.9 with probably 50,000 kms (I don't
know for sure, previous owner did not have a very good log)

It just started to leak a small amount at the head gasket, seems to come
from the waterjacket side, on the front left top of my engine.  Otherwise
this engine runs fine.  It seems to be almost a weeping rather than a leak,
but twice I found a silver dollar sized spot on the pavement, after cooling
down.

I noticed several suggestions in the list archives that for small and new
leaks, retorquing the head might do it.  However, I never saw any posts
claiming success in this attempt.

It would seem to me that retorquing the head would break the seal of the
sealing compound we are suposed to use on the nuts (maybe I'm nuts, but
that's for another thread)

So here we go for the big Vanagon list request:

1. has anyone successfully stoped a head gasket leak only by retorquing the
head (i.e. without removal)

2. if so, any particular procedure recommended (loosen before retorquing;
loosen all at once, etc.)

3. If I have a water jacket leak, is it likely that I have coolant in my
combustion chamber leak also?  (as I said, otherwise it seems to run fine)

4. Follow-up question, are there any particular signs of spark plug fouling
by coolant?

5. If I'm f***ed ("fouled", of course, ahem...), how long can I hold off
before doing the big JB Weld job?

6. Follow-up question, any damage to be done by driving it (assuming I have
no combustion chamber leak and if I keep it topped up)?

Thanks for all help and responses

alias Fred (aka Bleu Schtroumpf)