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Date:         Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:17:18 -0700
Reply-To:     Chris Lisica <wavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Lisica <wavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: cracked AMC heads question
Comments: To: Benny boy <huotb@videotron.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <46e74b15.221e640a.272a.ffffb622SMTPIN_ADDED@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Benny, thanks for the welcome, thanks for your opinion, and thanks to everyone else for their 2 cents. I do agree, this head is garbage. The conclusion is that I am going to buy 2 used heads from a reputable used parts dealer here in the Seattle area. The heads look to be in very good condition and the price is right. After I install the working heads, it will be time to trouble shoot the cooling system to see what went wrong!

Chris

On 9/11/07, Benny boy <huotb@videotron.ca> wrote: > > Hi Chris and welcome to the dark side :-) > > As i'm a lurker, i don't folllow each thread, once in a wile i come here > (web interface, i like to say i come here... kind of a visit full of > suprise) and read some subject and i stop on those who may interest me. > > Anyway, i have red most post on this one and i don't agree with some but i > will shut up. > > I will make that pretty short, first, this head is good for the garbage, > something went wrong... who knows what and we don't care.... for now!!! If > you would removed the #1 or #3 cyl valves (right side on your picture) i'm > sure that the crack is pass the seat, if not, it will be soon, this crack > is > way to big and it will make a hot spot. I also see sign of pinging/hot > spot > and lean mixture or/and overheating. Something KILL the head and the head > did suffer a lot at some point, any head would! As some will tell you > here, > the AMC casting seem very solid, so head like that don't die easily. Now, > i > would like to see the other end of the head, valve tip! > > You could have someone fix them (welding Alum. is an art!), if the guy is > good, real good, they may last for a good 25k. But i would not do so. > > This head also may have cause some over heating problems... but that only > after something (coolant sys, FI... bad valves adjustment) made them > scream > for help. Now, how is the other head??? if something went wrong with the > coolant sys and/or the FI, both head should show sign!!! if not, now you > can > blame that head and just change this one. > > I have installed and sold 38 AMC head in about 4 years ( i just look at at > my invoice), most of my customers having those heads still have their > vans... and running fine, lately, i offer the german valves and somme work > to the head as an option. But i still have no problem installing them out > of > the box, but i have to spend one hour on the valve tip/keeper. Lately, i > have inspected the head of one of my customer, i did a top head including > stock AMC head 3 years ago, everything look fine at both end, compression > was very good... nothing wrong anywhere, over 65k km (about 42k miles). > > So the conclusion... i don't know Chris! maybe the late one are better, > maybe not, maybe some batch are worse then some other??? I'm not even sure > for how long AMC heads have been out there? What i know, is i need them!!! > or many would NOT have a running engine. So thank to AMC. > > If your on a budget, ask Bob or others here, they should have a set for a > good price. And after, make sure that what happen to those heads don't > happen again... this is where normally i get in and make sure everything > is > as best at it can be around the engine. And that is a dificult task.. even > impossible sometime. Fuel pressure test, injectors test, air plenium > sealing > test, coolant pressure test. One of them kill engine very often. > > This is why i went Subi... already 10k miles since my conversion and still > going... very strong. > > I hope i have been of some help. > Please don'T hesitate to show more pictures. > > Regards, Ben > http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm > > On Sun, 9 Sep 2007 19:34:47 -0700, Chris Lisica <wavanagon@GMAIL.COM> > wrote: > > >Volks, > > > >After purchasing my wife's 87 Westy project, I'm finally getting started. > I > >knew the heads were messed up, but I was hoping for a simple head gasket > >job. Upon closer inspection, and a few pictures in macro focus mode, > there > >appears to be a big crack on the one side. Any opinions? Is this head > >reusable? What could cause such a large crack? The pics: > > > >http://wavanagon.googlepages.com/amcheads > > > >Please help enlighten an aspiring Vanagon mechanic. Thanks for any > >advice/input/feedback/links/etc..... > > > >-- > >Chris > >88 Vanagon GL (daily driver) > >87 Westfalia (in progress) >

-- Chris 88 Vanagon GL (daily driver) 87 Westfalia (in progress)


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