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Date:         Sun, 23 Jun 2002 11:50:24 -0700
Reply-To:     Craig Oda - Personal email <craigoda@COMMUNITYBUILDERS.INFO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Craig Oda - Personal email <craigoda@COMMUNITYBUILDERS.INFO>
Subject:      coolant leaking from exhaust/cylinder head connection
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Hi, after taking out the cylinder heads, replacing the gaskets and fixing the pits with JB Weld, I put the parts back together and started it up. It is really rough and there is aggressive coolant leaking from the place where the exhaust pipe connects to the cylinder head by cylinder 2. Even after I stop the engine, the coolant is leaking and dripping down with a depressing, green, regularity.

How is the liquid coolant getting to the exhaust system? There are a few things I am thinking about:

1) I had the threads by the leak drilled out and tapped with helicoil. Maybe the repair shop drilled too far and drilled into a place where there is coolant?

2) I did not take the cylinder sleeves out of the engine block and did not change the rear "black" thick o-rings on the cylinder sleeves. I only changed the front thin green o-rings and the top metal gaskets. Maybe the coolant is leaking through the "black" o-rings and somehow getting to the exhaust. However, this would have to be a lot of coolant, there might be more than a cup of coolant dripping out from the exhaust.

The exhaust was bolted on at 15 lbs using a torque wrench and I used a new gasket. So, unless something is wrong with the area, it shouldn't leak that aggressively right? What happens if the drill went too far on the lower threads near cylinder 2 (front passenger cylinder)?

So, if I have to buy new cylinder heads, should I buy from Boston Engine or Volks Cafe? I live near Santa Cruz, so I could just drive down and pick the parts up. Boston Engine has AMC heads for $425 each with valves. Volks Cafe is $295 with $100 core. What does core charge mean?

Oh yea, I don't have much cash, so if I can avoid buying new heads, I would like to avoid. Most importantly, I want to have a bit more confidence that if I do have to buy new heads, I wouldn't have to spend more cash fixing something deep in the engine.

-- Craig

Craig Oda craigoda@communitybuilders.info VW Info: 1983 VW Westfalia, water-cooled, automatic


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