Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:26:55 -0700
Reply-To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Engine Removal
In-Reply-To: <0JXW008AIGZUPWLK@vms046.mailsrvcs.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has done that or considered doing it.
I quickly got to that point with my Hon%@ whenever it went in to have
factory flaws corrected.
Not trusting *some* mechanics is one other reason I'm considering
using my Vanagon as a DD. (especially with the Jetta engine). I can
maintain it.
Plus I think the factory (assembly) flaws are done with --- ;^)
Neil.
On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 5:21 PM, pdooley <psdooley@verizon.net> wrote:
> David, I am a little paranoid about taking anything in for service.
>
> I would mark the parts with a very small, inconspicuous marking or symbol in
> a very inconspicuous place that will not get ground down or machined off by
> the shop.
> Take several digital pictures of the part with the markings showing before
> dropping off at the machine shop.
>
> You may still get screwed in the end but at least you can prove your point
> and give the crooks a good scare.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> David Kao
> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 5:49 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>
> Subject: Re: Engine Removal
>
> When I was much younger and inexperienced I sent a BMW 2002 head to a
> machine shop for a valve job. They called me the next day and told me
> that I had a crack on the head. I rushed back to the shop and saw
> a head that I could not recognize and it had a severe crack. My head
> did not have a crack like that before I sent it in. I could not do
> anything to prove that it wasn't the one I sent in. I swallowed the loss.
>
> A few years passed by and I saw on the news that the machine shop was
> busted by police. The district attorney received many complaints about
> the shop and launched an investigation. The shop owner was indicted
> and the shop was closed. My BMW was not smog compliant and I eventually
> gave it up to charity. The incident of the head prevented me getting too
> deep into rebuilding it. I am glad that I gave it up.
>
> But I have since developed a fear of going into a machine shop. I am
> not trying to say all machine shops are run by crooks. What will you
> do to avoid being victimized by machine shops? Of course I am now
> much more experienced and I probably can avoid it by natural gut
> feeling about a machine shop. But I am not sure how to identify a
> good one from a bad one without getting some business done first.
>
> David
>
>
>
>
> --- Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
>
> > Craig, send your heads out to a machine shop. They will do a valve job
> > for you and also repair the exhaust studs no problems for not much
> > money. They will also clean the heads and when you get them back you
> > won't recognize them. Have fun and if you need anything please feel
> > free to give me an email or call.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Ken Wilford
> > John 3:16
> > www.vanagain.com
> >
> >
> > craig cowan wrote:
> > > Hey Gang. As some of you may know, i've had nothing but engine troubles
> for
> > > about....a year and a half now. I just gave up. Something needed to be
> > > done...
> > > So i made arrangements with local Vanagon Guy Walt Spak to buy a good
> > > running 1.9 from him. I still have dreams of a conversion someday, and
> still
> > > hope to do one eventually, maybe on my next van. But i need to get this
> van
> > > running for the summer, and i am home from college on spring break after
> my
> > > spring break plans fell through, so i thought "What better time than
> now?".
> > > Yesterday i got down and dirty with it, and successfully removed the
> engine
> > > for the first time! I was supprised as to how smoothly everything went,
> and
> > > it was so nice having the engine out! I had every intention on replacing
> my
> > > engine and all the components, as i have vaccuum leaks, everythings
> rusty
> > > beyond use, and my fuel injection system just SUCKS. In addition, after
> last
> > > summers exhaust issues ($500 in labor to have them screw up and 'fix'
> their
> > > screwup after breaking a drillbit off inside my head...all in order to
> > > replace a single $2.50 exhaust gasket...), i had no intention on EVER
> > > reusing that head.
> > > With signs of headgasket leakage immenant, and a clutch that was too
> weak to
> > > make it out of the driveway... it was time to do something.
> > >
> > > A single college student with little mechanical background can remove a
> > > vanagon engine with only an assistant for the latter portions of the
> engine
> > > removal. To go a few steps further, today i pulled the entire intake,
> > > exhaust, fuel injection, and cooling systems, reducing my engine to a
> block.
> > > For curiosity's sake....i pulled the heads (some trouble with the
> cylinders
> > > trying to come out with the heads....). With the heads off it was
> obvious
> > > that this really IS a low milege engine (Supposedly a canadian rebuild)
> as i
> > > was told by the previous owner! Not a single crack between the valves,
> minor
> > > pitting, and everything looks as if its been working well! Long story
> short,
> > > it looks like i'll be reusing this engine and just replacing everything
> > > around it! Aside from a few broken bolts, and some concerns about fixing
> my
> > > one exhaust port "propperly", i think this should be a good candidate to
> > > make my van run and run well!
> > >
> > > Tommorow, I'll be dropping the gas tank (to revise my resealing of last
> > > year), and replacing the rusted out coolant pipes using a good used set.
> > > This should be quite a wrestling match, i have NO idea how well these
> will
> > > go in, as they were plently hard to get out of the parts car...
> > > Any tips for this?
> > >
> > > Once the engine's back in with a bunch of good new and good used parts,
> i
> > > can start on the body : )
> > >
> > > Thanks for all the help and advice from so many of you! I've learned so
> > > much, and i'm confident now more than ever in my abilities to work on
> > > vanagons!
> > >
> > > -Craig
> > > '85GL
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
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--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco"
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
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