Date: Thu, 9 May 2013 22:01:19 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: coolant overflow fears and thoughts
In-Reply-To: <518C7652.1070505@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Well, you definitely have the dreaded Vanagon syndrome! Hooked bad, just
like the rest of us with all our great experiences.
Dive in. Before you do find a couple of used OEM heads in good condition
(Angus?), and be prepared to buy some more tools. The weather is now
conducive to spending time under the van as much as it is to be inside it.
Have a plan B ready too though!
You do have a copy of the Bentley, don't you?
Good luck!
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Carchrae [mailto:carchrae@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2013 9:24 PM
To: Stuart MacMillan
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: coolant overflow fears and thoughts
Point well taken Stuart. I'm not deluding myself into thinking I have the
skills, tools or experience of these guys. And of course, everyone
should carefully digest advice you get for free on the internet. All
said, I am still deeply grateful for the time all of you take here with your
own experiences and knowledge.
When I got my van last summer, I had not done any mechanical work for nearly
20 years - my last stint was as an owner of a Citroen 2CV, a 600cc aircooled
engine. I do enjoy the work. Climbing under and groping around for the
breather hole in the transmission awoke those memories. Our 4k trip across
the rockies (w/ wife + 2 small kids) was an adventure and I got way more
involved in getting it back on the road, in part because I got impatient
waiting for mechanics who didn't seem to know/care about it. The first
break-down took a day (tow truck + mechanic), second took me 2-3 hours (taxi
to FLAP), last one took me 1
hour (bought a good luck hose, hurrah, fixed during a lunch stop).
Formative memories for the children likely, hopefully positive, perhaps...
:) They love and fear the van at the same time.
If I have a go at my engine, it will be at least part recreation/therapy.
The thought of a 3-4k mechanic bill scares me off - that should go to the
Bostig fund - and I've nearly spent that much with this mechanic already, so
I think I'll see how far I can get myself.
Surely a stud won't break on me... I do worry a bit about how long
this van has had this gasket issue (if that is what it is), but it has not
been overheating, so I'm cautiously optimistic. We'll see. I just hope
that I can get/keep it in a condition to actually enjoy camping in it this
summer.
Tom
On 13-05-09 07:58 PM, Stuart MacMillan wrote:
> That's just the beginning! Figure $3000-$4000 by the time you drive
> off with tax and all the other stuff you'll need to replace just to
> get a decent warranty from the shop.
>
> All good advice here, but you really have to be a fearless DIY
> mechanic with a decent collection of tools, jacks, jack stands, workbench,
spare time,
> etc., and prior engine messing experience to tackle the WBX. I'm an
> experienced DIYer and won't tackle it. If you have AMC heads, then
> it's been "rebuilt" before, and probably not the bottom half, only a
> head replacement.
>
> I'm on my fourth WBX. It's in my "new" '85 van and is the original
> engine, and hope it will last for one more summer camping season
> before I do the Subaru conversion I'm acquiring parts for.
>
> The stock engines can go for a long time. Dennis can attest to that
> because he knows how to take care of them and drives the flat east
> coast between NY and FL (pushing 300k miles I think?), but rebuilds
> don't last anywhere near as long and are very expensive. You simply
> can't get quality parts for the WBX today, and they are labor
> intensive to fix, so it's a waste of money IMHO. You'll likely have
> to get a complete new exhaust system that doesn't fit well too (yours is
30 years old!), so add that to the cost.
>
> Do you know how to extract a broken stud? You will likely need to,
> and it can be easier to get a new head. Alistair has a story on how
> he heat hardened a broken stud trying to drill it out that he'll share
> with you. I felt his pain:
> http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0408D&L=vanagon&P=R38163
>
> You and I are mere mortals, not gurus with real shops like Alistair or
> Dennis. You can try to patch it up as cheaply as possible (and it
> won't be cheap), but you will likely need new heads (of questionable
> quality) since the eroded sealing surface cannot be machined. Your
> best alternative is to find a serviceable used engine and start saving
> for a Subaru or Bostig conversion if you want to keep the rig for the
> long term. There are plenty of them around the Northwest. I'll have a
> serviceable one available next winter (I hope). Note I didn't say
> "good," just "serviceable," and likely serviceable for only a short time.
>
> Again, good luck. I've owned one of these since 1986, and I've
> learned my lesson now. Sort of-- and it's been painfully expensive.
> Spread out over
> 40 years it doesn't look so bad though, and I'm spending more again
> now since I've jumped back into the abyss.
>
> Whatever you decide it will be worth it, since there is no replacement
> for these rigs.
>
> Stuart
> '85 Westy, fourth in a series of VW campers
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Carchrae [mailto:carchrae@gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2013 10:57 AM
> To: Stuart MacMillan
> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: coolant overflow fears and thoughts
>
> Thanks Stuart. I know it... I just called a local shop and they said
> it would be around 1500 to do the head gasket job, and another 500 per
> head if they need replacing. Sigh.
>
> Tom
>
>
>
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