Date:         Sun, 12 Jan 1997 20:41:01 -0700 (MST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Cory Zumbrennen <zumbrenn@ucsu.colorado.edu>
Subject:      Oil&Coolant Leaking from head Gasket

Hello everybody,
	I just had a VW rebuilt engine put into my '86 Westfalia by a
local shop.  The mechanics at this shop used to work for the VW dealer but
defected.  Anyway, the engine transplant was completed on Saturday.
Sunday afternoon I went to take a look at it and noticed what seemed to be
a coolant leak coming from the passenger side head!  I started the van and
went to go put gas in it.  At the gas station, 1 block away, I noticed
that it was in fact leaking.  I had been hoping up 'til this point that
mabye it was spilled or something.  So I drove it back to the shop and
looked again.  It was really leaking pretty bad, much worse than the
leaking coolant I had on the old engine.  It also was not just coolant but
oil too?!  Yes, definatly greenish brown.  
	This is very upsetting to me.  I'm going to be paying off credit
cards for some time and my car seems to be in worse shape?  Has anyone had
any experience with this?  I think that the Factory rebuilds have a 1-year
warranty, but I cannot afford labor.  I trust VWoA about as far as I can
throw them, and I can just see them saying that since they didn't install
it it's not their problem, or that I have to pay labor etc.  I'm going in
to see the mechanics tomarrow morning to see what they say.
	Part of the reason that I invested in this "new" engine was for
reliability reasons...so much for that theory.  That Subaru engine keeps
looking better and better.  Oh well, any comments greatly appreciated.

Cory
'86 Westfalia