Date:         Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:29:06 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Head replacement... sooo much easier the second time
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

The first time I took the heads off my 90 was about 3 years ago when the
rubber gaskets started leaking. I fought the rotten exhaust hardware for
days!
This time, it's a more serious problem of engine compression getting into
the cooling system. But let me tell you, this is going to be more of a 16
hour job than a 40 hour one like last time.

One reason is that I replaced all the rusted and rounded iron exhaust
hardware with stainless steel bolts... no studs. The pipes just slip on and
off. Fifteen minutes or less with an air wrench and open end wrench and
those pipes were off those heads.

Another reason is that I knew this time what didn't have to be removed to
get the heads off.

Another VERY important reason is that I figured out what order to do things
in. First, don't jack up the car to work on the topside (it wore me out
bending over the car on jackstands). Pull the intake
manifold/plenum/injector assembly first. Be sure to have a 14mm flexible
socket on hand to get the big nut off the front of the flange where is is
fastened in a tight spot by one of the block bolts. If you don't have a
wobbly socket, you'll be at this one a while.

You'll be amazed at how fast the AC, alternator and PS pump can be removed
with the intake stuff already removed. Don't touch the hoses yet, though,
until the coolant is drained.

Drain the oil if you haven't. Remove the underside tin (on the sides and
over the pushrod tubes). Drop the exhaust after separating the pipes from
the heads front and back and at the main joint with three bolts. Though it
looks like you must remove fasteners at the rear near the muffler, you
don't. Remove the drain plugs from the underside of the heads. While the
block is draining, go up top and remove the two bolts holding the long black
pipe than runs past the left valve cover so you will be able to get the head
off the studs.

Go below when the draining is finished (it is ever?) and plug the drain in
the left head so you can get a hex socket into the thermostat housing screws
and remove it.

Pry off the valve cover bails and pop the cover off. Remove the rockers and
pull out the pushrods, keeping them in order (even though I'm replacing the
lifters, they will mate to their same respective rockers).

Go back up top and remove the head bolts in the reverse order of tightening,
just a little at a time.

Five hours! Three yesterday, two today.

Jim