Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 18:23:37 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: Head Gasket oddity
In-Reply-To: <156.49489aa3.2f28fdbf@aol.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Most likely, you just got a bad gasket. I've had some fail this way
before even leaving the driveway. Bolt torque not an issue here as the
clamp load is on top of the cylinders. The cylinder top and the depth of
the cylinder seat in the head will determine the crush on the rubber
gasket. I would get rid of that pipe nipple and tee combination though
for the oil pressure gauge/switch. I foresee the nipple breaking just
where in enters the case. Use a short straight fitting to the tub and
place the tee at the other end with both sensors or better yet use the
VDO gauge with a dual sensor, (gauge and light in one).
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Frank Condelli
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 9:06 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Head Gasket oddity
Here's one for you all to beware of. I had a 2.1 engine head gasket
fail
and so far I have no idea why. Left head at the bottom right corner
the gasket
split quite evenly at 90 degrees to its edge then tore in a diagonal on
the
part that sits on the case lip. See picture here >
_http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/graphics/vanagon/misc/100_1876a.jpg_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/graphics/vanagon/misc/100_1876a.jpg)
Stats: Brand new head gasket, rubber one, installed on rebuilt
engine.
Engine sat for approximately one year before being put in service.
Failure
occurred at approximately 125 miles on the engine. New AMC heads, case
lip is
near perfect as it can reasonably be. Permatex Ultra Copper RTV High
Temp
Silicone used as sealant as I have used without incident for over five
years
on numerous engines. Head bolts are in good condition. Torque was set
to 37
lbs unless I messed that up and no way to tell now. Coolant is
Prestone Long
Life. Temperature gauge reading normal since engine was installed.
Oil
temperatures are high, 90 ~ 100 F, but maybe normal for a newly rebuilt
engine.
Any ideas as to what may have happened ? Maybe just a defective
rubber
head gasket and I had to get it ! Anyways, I R&R the head yesterday
and
installed a new gasket and all's fine so far. Major PITA ! But may be
"normal" for
the infamous 2.1 waterboxer !
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2005
'87 Westy, '90 Carat & Lionel Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/) &
_CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel Mufflers_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_Frank Condelli & Associates_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
or http://frankcondelli.com
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