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Date:         Sat, 23 Jul 2005 09:08:59 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: regarding head gasket failures on water cooled engs....
In-Reply-To:  <004b01c58f9b$9a4b34d0$7dc94e45@t41>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> What's your take on Scott's suggestion? > > I know the some of the head bolts aren't all that easy to get to ... so > maybe every oil change is too frequent. But I'm thinking once a year might > be a heck of a lot easier and cheaper than replacing the head gaskets or > even the heads.

I was thinking the same thing. The problem I think you'd run into is that, unlike a "reg'lar inline type" engine head, the wasserboxer actually uses the contact face of the head nuts to seal off the cooling system. I also think that fiddling with 'em every oil change would be too often, possibly disturbing the sealant too much. I'd hate to have a preventative measure turn into an unseen coolant leak into the lubrication system under the valve cover! Perhaps it might be possible to do a "loosen, apply new sealant, retorque" without too much difficulty when you've already got the coolant drained for its annual or biennial change. What has me curious is WHY some wasserboxers lose their head nut torque. From the sound of it, ALL of those Alfa Romeo's had issues with losing torque; but it seems like only SOME wasserboxers have trouble with that issue. The 'boxer I pulled out of mine was the original engine, had the head gaskets at 80K by the dealer, and it had at least 80K more on it before it "died" of a snapped head stud. Other folks are STILL driving around on their factory engines with not apparent trouble...


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