Date:         Thu, 17 Jul 1997 21:04:48 +0100
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         johan.nyberg@sodertalje.mail.telia.com (Johan Nyberg)
Subject:      More on engine life

When we bought our '86 Caravelle it had had almost exactly 100 kkm (let's
say 63 kmi) and there was evidence of outside head-leaks. The "coolant" was
the 100% natural tap water variety. There were 6 PO's and it was no beauty.
Still isn't. Well, we got it cheap.

Conclusion:
With a lot of creative driving and artistic maintainance you can break one
of those engines pretty quick. Perhaps the climate helps, too.

A VW repair shop recommended a treatment with "Bar's leaks", some expensive
crud you put in the coolant tank. That was no good, so I pulled the leaking
head and did the gasket replacement thing. Interestingly enough, I didn't
find much corrosion on the head, only that the rubber gasket was very badly
out of shape. I suspect the head was mis-torqe-ed at some time or other.
This was two years ago, and no leaks since. I'm waiting for the other (port
side) head to start leaking, and I'd like to keep waiting.



  ************************************************************
    '62 Johan Nyberg, Sodertalje Sweden
    '86 Caravelle C    Necessary Pest
    '62 Kerstin        Wife
    '85 Aasa           Daughter
    '87 David          Son
    '88 Markus         Son
    '91 Jonas          Son
    '93 Tora           Daughter

    (Signature concept gratefully stolen from Tim Casey)
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