Date:         Thu, 06 Apr 95 12:55:31 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Richard <rapalmer@unity.ncsu.edu>
Subject:      Re:  76 engine dead

> My Uncle bought a 76 westy that just had a new top end job.  It ran great 
> for a few thousand miles and then the valves began to tighten.  They 
> would retighten a couple of hundred miles after adjustment.  The engine 
> finally gave up when #3 piston exploded.  He is rebuilding the engine now, 
> and the shop that checked the heads said they showed signs of over heating.
> Does anyone have/had the same problem, or know what the cause might have 
> been?  The engine was not neglected oil wise.

A friend of mine bought a '76 with a newly "rebuilt" engine, which
proceeded to blow up after a few hundred miles. The idiot had only
replaced heads, cylinders, etc, and not even split the case! (This being
a top-end rebuild) In my opinion, such a rebuild is pretty much
worthless, as who knows what condition the crank, bearings, and case
itself are in in there. For only a couple hundred more dollars, you can split the
case, and have EVERYTHING re-machined and new bearings put in. To not do
so, from what I have seen, is only a very short-term, and expensive solution.
YMMV
IMHO
Richard