Date:         Tue, 2 Jul 1996 19:38:42 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         DHaynes57@aol.com
Subject:      Re: help, whine, 81 in vermont

In a message dated 96-06-30 12:25:07 EDT, dpierson@moose.uvm.edu (David G.
Pierson) writes:

<< after stopping and fueling in ny state, i noticed a chirping sound upon 
 starting back up, and while accelerating in the lower range of 1st, 
 2nd, and 3rd.  it generally only occurs when the engine is hot and in the 
 lower gears, not all of the time but always after i stop and restart the 
 engine.  the chirping is very much like 
 the chirping i heard before the rebuild (which now has 2500 miles on), 
 which i assumed to be due to the damaged valve seats on cyls 1&2, only now 
 it seems to be coming from the left side of the engine (3&4).  
  >>
You have blown you head gaskets.  Probably due to a bad engine case.  I.ve
warned many in the past about this problem.  What seems to happen is that the
case wearin the center wear it is bolted together.  This causes the case
halves to distort and the cylinders no longer sit parrellel.  The head then
can not sit flat across both cylinders on either side and the pressuers will
eat at the gasket until it burns out or comes loose.  That chirping you hear
is actually the gasket shim vibrationg leak a reed or a whistle.  I would try
to have it fixed local but make sure they check the case for straightness.
 Driving it this way will destroy the seating surfaces on the heads if this
has not happened allready.

Good Luck
Dennis.