Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2008 18:03:22 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: exhaust gaskets leaking
In-Reply-To: <m18x23dq0i.fsf@cs.indiana.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
'the problem' is that the flanges warp over time, the pipes warp over time,
sometimes - like if the pipes and flanges didn't' warp, the gaskets would
last very well. They by themselves, the port gaskets, are not weak
especially, unless someone put in el cheapo's or something.
The exhaust port gaskets are readily available, and I believe fit all air
cooled vw's almost, like surely all 1600's and waterboxers, they are readily
available.
As for sealant, this type of exhaust port gasket goes on dry, but if you are
trying to patch up something, or make up for warped pipes, 'you might' use
hi temp orange silicone, and 'maybe' get some sealing, for 'a while.' It's
not a real repair.
It's also possible to, instead of removing the pipes entirely, pull them
back some and sneak a new exh. port gasket in there sometimes. Without
turning it into a whole project sometimes this can be done. .
The studs and nuts notoriously are badly corroded, rusted, and stuck.
Getting the nuts off without breaking a stud off is 'the hard part.' Some of
them are bolts threaded into the head, rather than studs with nuts on them.
I always heat the nuts on the studs with a oxy-acetylene torch, to avoid
breaking off the stud in the head. Same for the bolts, and even then it
turns into a drill and tap situation, sometimes.
I'd start soaking things with PB Blaster penetrating oil right now, and
twice a day from now on for a while...........
What I usually end up doing is, if I don't' replace the pipes with new
aftermarket ones, is restore them by getting all the rust off with a power
wire wheel, then painting them with hi temp ceramic exhaust paint, and also
filing the flanges flat again. And put it all back together carefully.
( might as well convert to subaru .........just joking, but I am driving
this Vanagon around now with 98 Impreza engine, and what I would have to say
is that many waterboxer owners/ drivers would be very pleasantly surprised
at the 'sports car engine nature' of these engines compared to a waterboxer,
compared to a Legacy engine even. It's not just more power and
displacement, and lower emissions and better fuel economy, and better
throttle response..............it's an engine with a power and torque curve
that just loves ripping up through the rpm range, and there's a whole 1,000
more rpm to play with . Just delightful to drive, like the van really does
something when you ask it to, and in a very 'eager' way - just loves ripping
up through the rpm range as I said, and ....... ( ! ) .........you can be
done with those hokey waterboxer exhaust pipes !! )
scott
www.turbovans.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Allan Streib
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 1:10 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: exhaust gaskets leaking
Just noticed that the gaskets on the drivers side of the motor where
the two pipes join to a larger flange are leaking. Are these standard
gaskets available locally, or ... ?
Is there any kind of sealer that can be used on the new ones to get a
better seal, or should they go in dry?
Thanks,
Allan
--
1991 Vanagon GL
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