Date:         Sun, 15 Apr 2007 12:32:38 -0400
Reply-To:     Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject:      Re: leakdown test

What is the point of leak down test? if you have bad compression you have a
problem anyway! the engine need to be open!

If you are curious about where is the leak is, just pop out the valve cover
and look at valves height,
http://www.benplace.com/bjp_head1/29-11-05_1848b.jpg

If the are even, your problem is on the pistons side or or the gasket side,
anyway, your up for a re-seal, burned valve/seat always show on the valve
height.

You burn oil= pistons side, now, forget about new rings, it's way more labor
to do so and unless the top compression ring is broken, news rings won't fix
anything.

EX: removing old pistons, 1 hour, working on the cylinder and pistons to
prep them for new rings, a good 2.5-4 hours + another 75$ for new rings,
(those always have to be gap, rings groove need cleaning), thats (in the US
and not at my cheap rate) more than 300$ in labor, new pistons kit are ready
to slide in. I have check ring gap for 2 years on new pistons (Brasil) kit,
the gap as alsway been perfect, i don't check them anymore. So that said,
new pistons kit are 400-500$ Forget about ring position, they move anyway.

Bottom line, it cost too much to the customer trying to save old pistons.

If you are ready to open an engine, put new heads & pistons, you will have
some peace of mind for a wile.

Lately, when a top-end or a semi top end or a re-seal is needed, i explain
to the customer that if i mess with pistons, he is better off with new one.

In my book, engine open = new heads and pistons... MINIMUM. If a cutomer is
ready to pay 20-30 hours, he should be enough intelligent to put new stuff in.

lately, cam are pitted, and that another newer problem, in the last 3 core i
had to open, center camshaft bearing where shot. this is a classic bottom
end problem with 2.0L AC engine, i think old wasser are getting there also.

Anyway, sorry if i sound crude but it's sunday and i have my hands full in 2
open core, and that is what i'm seeing. The 2.1L in front of me as a crack
in the second crank bearing (from back, pulley side). You should see all the
coolant trace in that block. I had so much metal at the bottom of the case
that i had no choice to check the crank bering. Now i have to call the guys
to tell him that bad news. That is another customer van who will leave the
shop with the engine in pieces in the passenger area of the van, i know now
that he as not enough money to fix the engine.

The short story, engine are getting old.

I'll show you a few pics later.

Cheers, Ben
http://www.benplace.com/pistons_heads_video.htm
ps.: you will say, well that page show that you do try to save pistons, yea,
of course, i make more money :-)))) no joke, that job cost more than to have
put new pistons, we learn each day.