Date:         Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:18:56 -0500
Reply-To:     Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: cylinder head drain plug

Thanks all. The concensous is to go ahead and take it out with a standard
hex scoket. Solid.  I redid my off the wall head gasket repair last
weekend.It worked,and I am now driving again,but it is leaking at night
when the tempature gets low(a few ounces).Have to go in  there again
(D#M).This leak will stop in warm weather, but I want it stopped now.I
under estimated the tenasity of this head gasket to leak dispite my
complete and undivided attention. It leaks at each end of the section that
I cut out(7 inches). I know how to fix this ,but I guess I was not
respectful enough towards this bada** head gasket.I need to cut the top
rubber flap on each end, back to the point that the gasket still in the
groove is still holding back coolant.Then apply the  Quick Steel puddy over
this gasket and press it into the end where the rubber meets the puddy.I
didnt do this to the letter well enough ,and the gasket knew it.Total
gasket removed will be about 9 inches of gasket.Not a repair for the faint
of heart.When I removed the old puddy from the previous repair,the puddy
that was in the groove was still doing its' job.The previous repair failed
because I failed to clean the engine case well  enough.The JBWeld didnt
fail because of high tempatures.Got to pay special attention ,plus, to each
end.Thats the key.The space between each end,no matter how large, is ez
provided the water jacket is dry,dry,dry.I had to drill the actual groove
puddy out with a small drill.The perfect puddy would be an expanding puddy,
like the expanding morter that brick layers have to patch with.I removed
all the oxidation around the gasket with a drill/wire brush,then sanded it
by hand with 80 grit.Pretty! As a final touch, I added a lump of puddy over
each pushrod tube between the top of the tube and the rubber gasket above
it.This will act as 4 braces to hold the gasket inplace if it decides to
leak along this area,sometime in the future.I would give you all
pictures,but I dont have a digital camper ,and I can barely use this
computer anyway.My son comes home from college this week,Maybe I can get
him to do it.My daughter graduates from college this weekend,and I trust
this repair enough to drive the 300 miles.Knock on wood.