Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2013 18:13:05 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: nuts vs head gasket job
In-Reply-To: <CAFNeVpGzRkH7hQu8tuoB3H5ByyZ3AiEHuM=MUg=qY5seZcu1BA@mail.gmail.com>
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I would do them one at a time only,
so as not to disturb things too much.
As far as I am concerned ..as long as the threads of both stud and nut
are clean and not rusted or messed up somehow..
the torque spec is 37 ft lbs with yellow sealant. Personally..I put it
on the threads and the seeling face of the nut. Have done that scads of
times, never a problem.
On 9/4/2013 4:01 PM, Tom Carchrae wrote:
> well, i'll be somewhat hopeful - but resigned.
>
> re; the goop, aka the yellow nut sealant - will that impact the torque in
> any significant way? ie, should i loosen all nuts (ie, break the seal)
> before checking the torque?
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Sep 4, 2013 at 12:47 PM, Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>wrote:
>
>> yes, I think that could be 'overly hopeful' ..
>> and it's worth trying.
>> re-goop the nuts of course...that's an important seal there.
>>
>> On 9/4/2013 9:54 AM, Tom Carchrae wrote:
>>
>> I've put this off long enough. I got a few trips from my van this summer,
>> but on the last day I drove it, it backed up the coolant in the reservoir
>> (behind licence plate) three times in one day. I would pull over when the
>> blinking low-coolant light turned on, drain the coolant out into a bottle,
>> start the vehicle, open the hot pressurized tank, and pour the coolant back
>> where it belonged.
>>
>> Yesterday I took the valve covers off and used a torque wrench to inspect
>> the tightness of the nuts on the heads - well, all the easy to get to nuts
>> (so all but the two behind the air intake - I have only removed the air
>> filter box so far).
>>
>> I have only done one side so far, but I found one of the bolts in the
>> centre of the head to be slightly under spec (37lb). I recall Dennis Hayes
>> saying (email below) that this managed to solve head gasket symptoms 50% of
>> the time if done soon enough. I doubt I have been soon enough, but how
>> does one tell.
>>
>> I am prepared to do the head removal but boy would I be happy if it was as
>> simple as tightening some nuts. Would I be overly hopeful to think that
>> this minimal nut tightening this late would save me having to remove the
>> heads?
>>
>> Tom
>>
>> 84 Vanagon
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, May 9, 2013 at 2:19 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> One problem with relying on the sniffer tests is that they are looking for
>> un-burned hydrocarbons. In order for this to work in addition to the leak
>> you also need a combustion failure in the leaking cylinder. While cracked
>> or
>> loose heads may also cause a combustion issue you are in deep trouble by
>> the
>> point the sniffer tests pick it up. Keep in mind if those gasses can get
>> out
>> in some cases coolant can get into the cylinders. Antifreeze into the
>> cylinders and then into the oil can cause some real damage. Long before
>> antifreeze in the oil is visible the stuff becomes extremely corrosive and
>> can quickly destroy bearings along with crank and cam surfaces. It can also
>> destroy pistons by blowing out the tops and destroying the ring lands.
>>
>> If the engine has ever been overheated, (even before a rebuild) or has had
>> the heads off for any reason loose heads can be the cause. I probably have
>> a
>> better than 50-50 success rate in fixing these issues just be retourqing
>> the
>> heads if the problem has not been left so long that the head seals (inners)
>> or the tops of the cylinders have burned or pitted away.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>>
>>
>>
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