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Date:         Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:05:51 EST
Reply-To:     RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Head Gasket oddity
Comments: To: vanagon@egroups.com, limbolist@egroups.com,
          The_Bug_Pack@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

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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