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Date:   Sun, 26 Dec 2004 11:47:01 -0800
Reply-To:   jbange <hfinn@INGRATES.NET>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   jbange <hfinn@INGRATES.NET>
Subject:   Re: Broken Head Stud
In-Reply-To:   <039f01c4eb6b$5e6c4b40$6501a8c0@yoursz6x6sefxo>
Content-Type:   text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 08:52 AM 12/26/2004, you wrote: >With broken head studs you might get the old one out if the there is >something to grab onto you could even weld a nut to the end and spin it out.

Argh. I think welding is out of the question. I'm stuck working in "covert mechanic" mode as I'm but a lowly apartment dweller with no personal garage space.

>My experiences are across the board from one bad stud to the case from hell >and I have had to send cases out to have the remaining nubs burned out with >a metal disintegrator. As for replacing all the studs a precaution I would >not. What does need to be done is get a good look at the entire length of >the each stud for pitting and if any pitting is present then the stud should >be removed.

Hmmm...Sounds like I'll have to remove the cylinders/water jacket to get a good look. Am I likely to be Asking For Trouble by pulling the head and cylinders in a poorly lit underground parking garage with no facilities for removing the engine? (probably)

>At this point you need to consider the total milage of the engine

Heh. Between the fool PO and the PPO before him, I haven't a single bit of repair history. The odometer read 164K when I bought it, but had been broken for SIX YEARS according to the VIN report. Oil pressure is strong, over 10psi at idle and 25psi at highway speed with 15W-50 synthetic oil. Then again, who knows what heat damage it may have, as the jackass PO warned me that it "overheats a lot, so you gotta pull over when it boils over and let it cool" (radiator was clogged; i replaced first thing). I'm guessing that, one way or another, it's probably wise to consider swapping in a rebuilt.

> your >comitment to the van and what your intented uses are. Is it local driving >long distance touring or drive it till it stops >as Clint Easwood said in dirty Harry >are you feeling lucky

Yeah, I suppose I gotta ask myself if I'm willing to replace one stud and drive with my eyes bugging out, waiting for the next stud to pop. At the very least, I think I'll pull the head and see how pitted both it and the studs are. If it's looks bad, i'll just save my lunch money for a while and have someone put in a rebuilt. That's the worst part, really. If I had a garage to work in, I'd have had that engine out and on a bench last night; but no, I live in the city, so I gotta pay someone else to do it...

John Bange '90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"


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