Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (October 2006, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:41:44 -0400
Reply-To:     Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Best source for Head Gasket sets 1990 2.1L ?
Comments: To: kevin obrien <kevindobrien@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20061012190218.94074.qmail@web32412.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Pretty much all of the list vendors either sell Victor Reinz or Erling sets. These are both German made sets and I have used both on customers vans with no problems. Really the key to doing a sucessful head gasket job is preparation.

When doing the job, after everything is removed, clean everything! This means clean the case where the head gasket sits, clean the o-ring grooves in the cylinders with a pick, and have the heads cleaned and checked for cracks at a local machine shop. If you find any cracks in the heads, throw them away and get either good used ones (rare) or new ones (best). If you don't have any cracks then fill any pits in either the head surface or the block surface where the gasket will sit with JB Weld and then sand back to normal height with a sanding block. Clean everything up with some brake cleaner one more time and then you are ready to put things back together.

I go by these guidelines everytime I do a head gasket job and I have had no problems in many years.

Of course we sell both the head gasket kits and the new heads if you need them. I recommend doing both heads at the same time (why not?) and getting a complete engine gasket kit which we sell for $120. It comes with not only the gaskets for the heads but also many other engine gaskets that you may need in the future and is the same price as buying two head gasket kits.

Also when you replace your head gaskets you should: Check/replace your water pump. Check/replace coolant hoses that look suspicious. Replace your belts, and give the van a tune up unless it was recently done.

If you follow these guidelines you should have no problems and have a happy, healthy van to drive around in.

Thanks, Ken Wilford John 3:16 http://www.vanagain.com http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com http://www.eurovan.org http://www.vwcabrio.org Phone: (856)-327-4936 Fax: (856)-327-2242

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of kevin obrien Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 3:02 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Best source for Head Gasket sets 1990 2.1L ?

Hello All:

I need to replace both heads on my 1990 2.1L engine. Anybody got sets of head gaskets or know of the best place to get them (I've heard some head gasket sets are better than others.)

Cheers! Kevin

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.