Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 11:17:18 -0600
Reply-To: Al and Sue Brase <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Al and Sue Brase <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
Subject: Re: Head treatment for pitting--flattening technique
In-Reply-To: <003c01c4fdbb$841e0c90$7dec5e44@noner4688xfd1h>
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I wrote this in response to Stan's comment about doint it right a day
ago and neglected to sen it to the list
What was right for me, back when I fixed my 87 GL in December
1998, was JB weld. I didn't know about this list back then. I had worked
on a few engines. Quite a few. No waterboxers, though. What I observed
was valves that looked perfect, no cracks, but lots of pits around the
edge. So, I took them to a friend's shop, glass beaded to clean bright
aluminum, and filled with JB Weld.
BTW, I used a flat mill file and draw filed across the deck area to get
it flat. Fast and flat!
I, too, figured the JB weld couldn't fare worse than the aluminum had.
I may have been wrong. It's beginning to leak (not very bad,
yet) from both heads, and it's just 6 years, nothing like the 9 years
the first time around. What I did not know was that I should have used
silicone sealer on both sides of the outer gasket. The sealer now comes
in the kits with the gaskets. VW apparently knew about the use of such
sealer, because the heads were replaced at a dealer on my old crashed
Silver 87 sometime before 1995. They are not leaking yet, but it hasn't
been driven in the last couple of years. That car has black silicone
sealer visible on the gaskets.
TIG welding the pitted areas is probably the best repair method.
I know a little about fixing heads, too. Often, while heating up the
casting while welding, the valve seats may come loose or, at least, lose
concentricity with the guides. So, in addition to remachining the spigot
holes and deck surfaces, maybe one should true up the valve seats.
It just seems like the JB weld fix did a lot less damage and was
a pretty good fix for the investment.
It's not like I've babied the car, either. I venture to say,
this car has been hammered more than most, perhaps any on this list.
Included was a 5 day, 4500 mile trip from Iowa to Florida, to a Porsche
swap meet in Harrisburg, PA, to Rochester, NY and back to Iowa. The last
leg towing another vehicle. And loaded with about 2500lb of car &
motorcycle parts. I can't remember about speeds on the way back, but I
remember going nealy full throttle up some big climbs in Tennesee, and
maintaining a speed of 70 mph all the way up. (We were near empty then,
though!)
Anyway, next time, I'll use sealer, different anti freeze, and perhaps,
bond all 3 engine parts together .
Al Brase
Stan Wilder wrote:
>But since the JB weld outlasts the aluminum on the head, what's half-fast
>about using it? If my head surfaces had been coated with jb weld from the
>factory, I would have probably saved the two gasket jobs the car has had in
>its life.
>--------------------- Clip -----------------------
>It's just a matter of doing it right ................. but it's your project
>do it as you want.
>
>Stan Wilder
>Engine Ceramics
>214-352-4931
>www.engineceramics.com
>
>
>
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