Date:         Sun, 8 Jul 2007 09:31:59 -0700
Reply-To:     David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Sudden head gasket coolant catastrophic leaking
In-Reply-To:  <46908CE4.1020201@phas.ubc.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

When the engine is dropped and heads pulled the cause of gasket failure
will be revealed.

How you installed the gasket comes to be first question. The gasket should
be fitted to the block first. Apply the sealant on the gasket. Then install
the heads. The stainless steel head gasket (rings) must be inside the heads.
This can be forgotten easily at the moment of installing the heads. The mating
surfaces of the heads must be free from oil/grease. I used Acetone and it
cleaned very well.

If your rubber gasket is pushed out 1/2 inch there must have been tremendous
pressure in the cooling chamber that did it. You said you changed the cap of
your expansion tank. Perhaps the cap is stuck closed. The cap should open
when pressure rises to a point to allow some coolant to escape and give
relief to the rising pressure. Perhaps your head gasket was leaking and engine
combustion gas was leaked into the cooling system leading pressure to rise
to a much greater level causing the rubber gasket to give up. If the expansion
tank cap did its job the pressure would be still released through the cap.
It is likely that you had a leaking head gasket (not torqued to 50nM?) and
the new expansion tank cap was bad. Together they caused the rubber gasket
to fail.

If the rubber gasket is not torn it is likely it can be reused still. Just
reinstall the gaskets one more time. Torque the head nuts correctly. Check
the cap of the expansion tank or simply replace it.

Well, I had just rebuilt my 1.9 for a few weeks. Have had 2000 miles on it.
I will see how mine hangs on there. Fingers crossed. Curses shielded. Hope
it lives on for some years to come.

David


--- Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA> wrote:

> I sent them out for inspection and if necessary, machining. One little
> hair crack was welded/machined between the valves, but not at the
> failure position of the gasket. I don't recall, whether it was the left
> or right though any more.
> Other than this hair, the heads were in good shape.
> I used the VW gasket set, and the head gaskets from there. Together with
> this black paste, I put them together, don't recall now the name, but
> will find tomorrow.
> Does the classic problem occur also that late after a rebuilt?
> Well anyway it seems I did not seal this head very well.
> Thanks for the help
> Thomas
>
> Benny boy wrote:
> > What did you use between head gasket and head?
> > How was the old head before you put this one back in? Was it cracked, was it
> > tested?
> >
> > 2 reasons, bad sealing or bad/cracked head, period.
> >
> > A clasic problem!
> >
> > Ben
> >
> >
> > On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 16:54:21 -0700, Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Hi,
> >> oh man, I thought my van is running now. Did it for about 1500km, but
> >> today suddenly lost all its coolant, luckily a guy behind me on the
> >> highway called my attention right away. I did not see anything and the
> >> water temp did not yet rise. Well I pulled over the next exit. Again
> >> lucky was only 500m away, and then the temp gauge was rising quickly. So
> >> to the next parking lot and shut down the engine before it overheats!
> >> But what the hack was going on? Temp was always good, never reved it
> >> above 3000 rpm in these first 1500km. Oil pressure was good (yes the
> >> installed oil gauge is working fine ;-))
> >> And suddenly I loose all my water. After waiting to let the engine cool
> >> down a bot, I was able to look and lie underneath the engine and saw
> >> that the head gasket was pushed out for about 0.5 inch and thats where
> >> it leak. I added a bit of distilled water in the expansion tank and it
> >> pulled out right away right at this point (at the rear end of the right
> >> head, about midway between top and bottom of the head). What could have
> >> happened? When I rebuilt the engine, I torqued the heads to the specs
> >> indicated in the Bentley. I inspected the studs and they did not seem to
> >> be in bad shape so I did not replace them. Is this an indication that
> >> one stud broke? Yesterday I drove and was in a traffic jam and it was
> >> very hot, but everything worked fine, the water temp never rose more
> >> then just above the light position.
> >> I don't know but thats kind of weired. Perhaps not for you experts, but
> >> for me, as it drove without problems up to this point. I changed the
> >> expansion head cap just two days before as well, and all water was in,
> >> not indication of a small leak anywhere.
> >> Well I am quite frustrated now, I must admit, just thought I let you
> >> know, perhaps you have some advice. The thing is I do not have much time
> >> now to fix this major thing. I am quite busy at work. Do you Vancouver
> >> guys have a good recommendation, where to put it? I let it tow to
> >> Blenheim at 12th/Arbutus, just because I heard they are very nice guys.
> >> So I assume they don't rip me off. But perhaps there are other places?
> >> Anyway have a nice week-end and enjoy the sun, I have to recover a bit
> >> form this disappointment today though.
> >> Cheers
> >> Thomas
> >>
> >
> >
>



____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better Heartthrob. Get better relationship answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out.
http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545433