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Date:         Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:44:17 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine Replacement or Gasket Fix?
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY125-DAV124518524C15734C94FBAFA0650@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I know the double nut trick, I didn't think about the factory locktite.

Thanks,

Jim

On Sat, Aug 23, 2008 at 9:24 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote: > Double nut trick! Get 2 10mm nuts place them on the stud and tighten the 2 > against each other, hard. Then use an open end wrench to turn the inner > nut. You will still need some heat at the bottom as these things are > factory lock tited in place. Install the new ones the same way only > turning the outer nut down. As for broken studs, I have welded nuts on > with great success. I have also done that remove exhaust studs. That are > not plated work best for this. > > Dennis > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jim Felder [mailto:jim.felder@gmail.com] > Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 10:15 AM > To: Dennis Haynes > Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com > Subject: Re: Engine Replacement or Gasket Fix? > > Dennis, > > I considered replacing the studs on my recent rebuild. I ended up > using another block with no evidence of overheating. The main reason I > didn't replace the studs (besides the cost) was the fact that they are > so hard I couldn't grab them to remove them. Is there some trick, like > welding on a nut, that I overlooked? How do you normally get them out? > > Jim > > On Sat, Aug 23, 2008 at 8:30 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> > wrote: >> Both of those internal compression leaks were due to the studs failing > to >> maintain tension. If the new heads were bad, they would have leaked >> immediately. All of the internal leaks where the cylinder meets the > heads >> start out as head stud tension failure. Sometimes this can be corrected > by >> re-tourqing the heads but if the studs are stretching the problem will >> return. Once the internal leak begins it will get worse as the gasket >> begins to burn away from the gasses being forced past it. Just think, > new >> studs and nuts with that first replacement could have saved $5k. >> >> Dennis >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf > Of >> Walter Houle >> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 7:33 PM >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >> Subject: Re: Engine Replacement or Gasket Fix? >> >> Robert - >> >> Having been thru a couple of head swaps in the past, I went through my >> records to see what could be learned. >> >> The original heads lasted approx. 8 years and 100,000 miles. They > corroded >> at the water gasket and leaked coolant. I then purchased a set of new >> heads and installed them myself. Total cost for the parts was $1,000. > They >> lasted 3 years and 32,000 miles. Then, they failed due to a compression >> leak that pressurized the cooling system and caused overheating. A local >> mechanic told me they failed because they were of poor quality & fit and >> recommended a different brand. If my memory serves me right the 1st set > of >> replacement heads were made in Spain, and the 2nd set he recommended > were >> from Germany. So, I hired him to install the German heads. Total cost > was >> $1,900. These heads worked fine for another 2 yrs 9 months and 22,000 >> miles before they too failed with another compression leak. At this > point, >> I decided to have a factory rebuilt engine installed. This cost $3,300, >> but it has gone 10 years and 50,000 miles and it is still going strong. >> Also, FWIW, the factory motor was found to have a leaky head when it was >> first fired up, a tiny pin hole sized leak near the exhaust flange. VW >> warrantied it, and it was replaced by a local dealership free of charge >> after about a two month wait. >> >> So, my replacement heads weren't exactly cheap, but they did buy me a > few >> years each time. The engine swap cost more, but it did come with a >> warranty and it has proven to be very reliable. If I had known about > this >> list 10 to 12 years ago I'm sure I would have done things differently. >> Whatever you decide, go with experience, either in the advice from the >> list or with an experienced mechanic, and only use known quality parts. >> >> Walter >> 85 Vanagon >> > >


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