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Date:         Sun, 9 Sep 2012 15:49:25 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Low compression,
              more test results-busaid inying used vans! Traveling far from
              home!
Comments: To: neil n <musomuso@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

No the Waterboxer is that much different or bad. No engine or even no vehicle even new can guarantee you won't have problems from home. Currently I am down if Florida (unplanned trip) and renting a 2011 Ford Focus with 35,000 miles on it. The tires are noisy as all heck, (almost sounds like bearings) and transmission is starting to slip. I do like that the Zetec is getting almost 40 mpg on the highway. But anyway the car is showing wear already so in addition to the payments let the repairs begin.

A few years ago I was heading home from Florida in with the motor home. Caterpillar engines run for ever, right? So while I was losing power and having it die in a rest area I was sickened. Hey it had 57K on it. I did manage to get it home. Multiple injector failure. Dealer wanted $6k plus for repairs. Found the two injectors and replaced them myself for <$1,300. Then over next two years learned all sorts of stuff about that cooling system as I coasting to the roadside.

Anyway, part of traveling far from home is to have a recovery plan. My Westy plan if ever needed was to rent a U-Haul and trailer and get it home that way.

I have a few customers that have gone over 200K on water boxers. It is possible. Maintenance, monitoring, and driving right is the key.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: neil n [mailto:musomuso@gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 1:08 PM To: Dennis Haynes Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com Subject: Re: Low compression, more test results-busaid inying used vans!

So the WBX isn't that much, or at all, different than most engines.

Good piece of mind to know.

I'd rather see some use from this engine. Clearly I have lots more to learn about it, but at the very least what I've done has improved it. I have no idea who did what work to it, but for sure a head was replaced. (says AMC on it. Thanks Scott for that tip). Hopefully they did that job and other work correctly.

Of course driving any engine with a bad noise or similar is not my MO, but if I had to do so, chances are i could limp it at least to a main road for AAA help.

An oil pressure gauge install is imminent.

For a person in my position however, (as with Stuart too?) the gamble is being too far away from home if something dire happened to the engine. At that point, my best hope would be a used engine install to get me home so I could start my engine swap work.

Neil.

On Sun, Sep 9, 2012 at 8:15 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:

> You would be surprised at the engines noises I have heard over the > years in vehicles driven to me. Often as the noises begin even with > oil pressure lights flickering many folks are either ignorant or in denial. > > Engines really exist in two varieties, healthy or not! Failures rarely > occur without cause or warning. On most engines valve wear, seating, > guides and cylinder head sealing are the weak links that often require > attention. Many engines with coolant carrying intake manifolds also > suffer from leaks of coolant into the intake path and the combustion > are next. Engine failures after some period of good operation are > almost always the result of a support system failure or abuse. Fuel > and ignition systems are support systems and improper set up of either > can be a recipe for failure. Extended lugging of the engine will > always help to create those melted pistons and nasty burned valves > even with coolant temperature staying normal. Loss of oil pressure > film etc. will help to throw those rods. This is the real Waterboxer > weak link, especially on the 2.1. That's why they added that oil cooler. The stretch bolts are not the problem. > > Dennis > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On > Behalf Of neil n > Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2012 5:27 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Low compression, more test results-busaid inying used vans!

> ...... if I drive my WBX til it really showed it's age, and it popped > a rod, from what I've read, the "gotcha" is that when it pops, it > stops.

-- Neil n

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