Date:         Sat, 13 Nov 2010 08:10:16 -0500
Reply-To:     Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Replace Heads or Engine?
Comments: To: Anthony Egeln <regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <336257.67429.qm@web51506.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Tony, I would love to sell you a set of heads and the stuff to go with
them, but my vote is for the rebuilt engine.  The bottom end on these
has oil pressure problems with mileage and if you have overheated the
motor enough to toast the heads, most likely you have also hurt the
bottom end (pistons touching cylinder walls, and bearings touching).
AVP is a good choice or Suburban Engine Exchange, or even Chris Corkin
as someone else has suggested.  It all depends on how much money you
want to spend and what level of job you want done.

If you still opt for the head replacement, let me know and I can put
together a nice deal for you.

Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com


On 11/12/2010 11:52 PM, Anthony Egeln wrote:
> List....
> To make a long story short, I fried my heads this past weekend (both cracked) on I-95 before I could shut it down.  Engine is stock 2.1 L wasserboxer.
> To replace the heads will be about $2600 USD parts and labor.  I'm guessing a rebuilt wasserboxer will be at least $4000 (P&L) by the time all is said and done......a conversion a couple thousand to several more.
> Over the weekend I'm puzzling out whether it makes sense to replace the heads on an engine on which I have run about 100K miles, and really have no idea how many miles it had on it before I bought it (body has about 320K on odometer).  Oil has been 15-50 Mobil One.  I hate to throw good money against bad, but certainly $2600 is better than $4000 +.
> Before the overheating incident the engine ran well.  My fuel economy has dropped significantly over the last two years, but I don't really understand if that is a sign of a worn out engine or not (O2 sensor replaced in the last year).  I have no compression data, and don't think I can get it with cracked heads.
> I already have one vote for replacing heads by George in Atlanta, assuming that all else has been well (thanks, George!).
> I appreciate feedback from those who have been there, and those who have not.
> Thanks, Anthony (sunny northeast Florida)'89 Syncro GL (Hidalgo)
>
>
>