Date:         Tue, 24 May 2005 11:44:33 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: Head gasket, etc, in Seattle
Comments: To: "A. Hurley" <ahurley@VIEWIT.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.BSF.4.58.0505240206470.50726@bemnet.pair.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

That seems like overkill if the only problem is bad heads (or head
gaskets). Sure, heads aren't cheap, and it's a lot of labor to install
them, but the job should still be way cheaper than a conversion engine. Are
there other engine problems besides the head leak?

Before you agree to anything, check the costs of the alternatives!
Generally, the costs work out like this:

         Head Replacement < Used WBX < Rebuilt WBX < Conversion Engine

Now, if it's *you* who wants the engine conversion (as opposed to the
mechanic thinking it would be cool to do it), then this leaky head may be
the perfect excuse to go ahead with it... that's a quite different
calculation :-).   You need to assess the condition of the rest of the
van... if the rest of the mechanical systems are in good shape, it isn't
rusting out anywhere, and you are planning to own it for the long haul (in
short, if the van is a real "keeper"), a conversion engine might be just
the ticket... only you can decide.

Good Luck!

Tim

At 02:13 AM 5/24/2005 -0400, A. Hurley wrote:
>So my coolant has gone from normal blue to clearish, and my oil light
>comes on sometimes even though there is oil. I went to one of the great
>referred mechanics I found from the list and he found a litte head gasket
>leak. He'd like to put a conversion engine in - I'm trying to figure out
>my options. Problem is, I have a ton to do this week and it's my only car.
>Of course, other than the the oil light, I have been losing little bits of
>coolant for awhile (drove to LA twice this winter).
>
>Options would be sell it, rebuild it, get the conversion...and...?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Andree