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Date:         Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:14:34 -0700
Reply-To:     neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: How to do a head reseal on a diesel vanagon?
Comments: To: Mark Drillock <mdrillock@cox.net>
In-Reply-To:  <46EEACFD.7020303@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Ah ok. It's not just the threat of the bolt compressing the fluid and stressing the block. The bolt won't go in far enough. Interesting.

I guess I got lucky with my Rabbit, though it didn't see more than a few thousand KM's after my job. Poor kid got run off the road into a lamp post. Thankfully he was ok.

Neil.

On 9/17/07, Mark Drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote: > The bolt hole cleaning is even more of an issue in the Vanagon because > of the leaned over angle of the diesel engine in the vans. The coolant > can easily fill the lower bolt holes as the head is removed. The angle > makes it harder to see the lower holes and how much stuff is in them. > The main threat is that when the bolts go back in they will get tight > against the stuff in the bottom of the hole before they pull the head > down tight. The head gasket can leak and the block can crack at the > hole. The torque on the diesel head bolts is high. > > I use a vacuum cleaner with a soda straw to clean out the holes. > > Mark > > > > neil N wrote: > > > Interesting to hear of the bolt hole cleaning. > > > > I remember replacing the head on my Rabbit 1.6 NA (1.5? can't remember....) > > > > After I did the job, it worked fine. Car had a new rad, water pump > > etc. etc. I sold it to a friends kid, but since I'd never replaced a > > diesel head before, the price was *very* fair. > > > > The kid, car and I went to a VW dealership to have my work checked > > out. (he knew the mechanic). The mechanic asked if I had cleanded the > > bolt holes. "uh, no". I didn't even think that IF there was a little > > oil or whatever in a hole that the head bolt would create a LOT of > > pressure. Add heat to that, and whamo. Possibly a crack. > > > > Neil. > > > > > > > > On 9/17/07, Mark Drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote: > > > >>You should join the diesel Vanagon list for this project. > >> > >>http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Diesel-Vanagon/ > >>......... > >> > >>Cleaning out the headbolt holes in the block very well before putting in > >>the new gasket is CRITICAL. > >> > >

-- Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco" (Bustorius)

http://web.mac.com/tubaneil

Please send fav Vanagon/Westfalia links to me at: musomuso1963@hotmail.com


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