Date:         Sat, 2 May 2009 21:29:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Doug Noganav <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doug Noganav <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Subject:      Re: cr@p!!!!  Motor seized tonight
Comments: To: Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

BTW if you remove the valve cover and rocker arms you can tell right away
if a head broke off a valve as the spring will pull the stem much higher out
of the head than
the other three valves.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Potts" <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, May 02, 2009 8:35 PM
Subject: cr@p!!!! Motor seized tonight


> Hi Volks,
>
> Colleen took the Vanagon to work today; got within a mile of the house
> and was just exiting the highway after a 12-minute run when the motor
> quit on her. It gave no warning, no sign of a problem at the dash; it
> just made a quiet clicking sound and stopped running. Attempting to
> restart just gave a click at the starter. There was a puddle of coolant
> on the ground but no blown hoses; I am pretty sure the ill-fitting cap
> blew off the overflow tank after the fact. If the coolant had gone out
> of it beforehand I am sure Colleen would have seen a guage flashing.
>
> I drove out to the scene with my Baywindow, and I couldn't turn the
> engine by hand or with the starter. We towed it home and backed it up
> the driveway to consider the options.
>
> The engine on this van has been an enigma from the get-go; it's an
> unknown-history 1.9L block wearing 2.1 cooling and FI. It was running
> strong right up until it wasn't; though the fuel milage did drop back in
> November. Compression was 100/145/100/145 when checked back in February;
> a complete overhaul of the ignition system in March did nothing to
> improve it.
>
> Luckily, I have a spare engine in the garage; a 1.9L VW of Canada reman
> which I was told has low miles on it. It looks very clean and has
> excellent compression. I will talk to my local shop on Monday and see
> how soon they can swap it for me. I could probably do it myself, but I
> need it done ASAP and am just too busy right now with other projects.
>
> Comments, commiseration & friendly advice would certainly be appreciated.
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> 1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
> 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop
> www.busesofthecorn.com
> www.pottsfamily.ca