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Date:         Sat, 20 Sep 2003 08:16:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject:      Re: Diesel head gasket blown?
Comments: To: Scott Sullivan <gersil0@LYCOS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <NNJCIHGJOBNAMFAA@mailcity.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 11:05 PM 09/19/2003, you wrote:

>As to the head gasket. Having someone else do it might be expensive. Not >because it is difficult but because taking off all of the manifolds are >time consuming.

This procedure does not call for nor require removal of the manifolds. Just remove the air filter housing top and exhaust pipe.

> If you do it your self it is not hard just a pain. The most expensive > part is the stretch head bolts. While you are in there might as well > replace a few parts like the timing belt and tensioner.

Indeed, only reuse belt and tensioner if you know their age and they meet inspection. Otherwise, replace them.

Some key points on this job not to forget.

Set crank to TDC and find and mark all the timing marks for certain before you start teardown.

With the head off, turn the crank to set all pistons at mid travel. Wipe a smear of grease around the perimeter of each piston to seal it from debris while cleaning the surfaces. In fact, before that, check the wear ridge at the tops of the cylinders. If more than sleight, inspect the cylinders for wear, taper and ovality. If you are out of spec here, don't just slap on a new head gasket, do the long block.

Use mechanics wire and/or cable ties to tie back all the cables and harnesses so they will all be out of the way all the time during the work. If you're not a professional mechanic, keep detailed notes. That's how you might become professional.

Use a turkey baster with piece of hose to remove all the coolant from the block. You simply must have compressed air to clean the bolt threads effectively, and coolant will get blown everywhere if not removed.

You should go over every square inch of the sealing surfaces with your fingers. If you feel anything at all not smooth and flat, clean some more. Spray a clean rag with parts cleaner and wipe the surfaces then follow immediately with a clean dry rag. Any filth on the final wipe, repeat until it's CLEAN. All that after you have scraped off the heavy chunks. It doesn't have to be sterile, just dead sanitary.

Rotate the pistons to the top and just lightly brush away any loose or soft carbon. Then turn it back a hair and wipe out the ring of particle infested grease. Then run each piston down and up and down a hair and repeat. One little tiny piece of carbon grit between the top of the piston and cylinder can scratch the ring or cylinder instantly upon start up and loss of compression can result.

Heavy build up of hard carbon on the pistons and combustion chambers??? Add 2 hours for very carful and complete removal. Heavy build up is not natural. Correct the cause. Poor injector patterns from fouled tips or wear or poor compression due to valves or rings not sealing or using ancient fuel from an old farm tank???

You must have pins to place in 2 bolt holes to set the head and gasket in place, then start the other bolts, then fish out the pins with a magnet and put in those bolts. I have pins for the 11mm head bolts if someone needs them.

With the head off, inspect the threads for the exhaust pipe mount. If they are still in good order, set studs here for mounting with nuts. Make a new gasket by hand from exhaust material. At least I have never been able to find this one.

And someone said earlier to have the head milled and use a thicker gasket. Not if you want to insure good results. Per Bentley, no milling of the head is allowed, and the one thing that leads to many failures is non-factory gaskets. Elring does not make a thicker gasket. Don't risk failure, follow given procedures. It's the difference between 10,000 and 100,000 miles before any issues or re-do.


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