Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2007 00:06:12 -0700
Reply-To: Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA>
Organization: University of British Columbia
Subject: Re: Sudden head gasket coolant catastrophic leaking
In-Reply-To: <200707080514.l685EY52002272@puremsg.phas.ubc.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
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
>>
>
>
| 
