Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 12:05:17 +0000
Reply-To: vwbus@NETBIZ.NET
Sender: Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From: John Anderson <vwbus@NETBIZ.NET>
Subject: Re: Good head-s?
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
> I'm replacing the heads on my '76 westy and have been doing some digging
> about the steallite vale seat problem. I'm getting a bit confused about
> the new vs.. rebuilt heads. Ron Salmon at Bus Depot says his rebuilds
> don't drop seats period. I've heard that AVP rebuilds are not a good
> investment. Someone else said that if the seats are installed with a
> 0.014 press (heated head) - they won't come out, etc, etc. 2 new heads
I will not knock Ron here because I'm sure for every set he's sold
he's been right but frankly I stand by my assesment, the '81 engine I
bought from AVP featured a No 1. exhaust valve/head problem that
clearly was not right from day 1. They have ignored my last email
documenting that fact, it annoys me. This may be a 1 in 1000 event
for an AVP head but has happened to me regardless on a very well
babied engine. Mark Stephens originated this style of T4 head
repair, both he and AVP use the exact same techniques and the same
interference fit. They use slightly different seats I believe and
Stephens does a little cold work peening thing after the fact which
is probably worthless but has never seemed to hurt. Stephens is a
bit choosier with cores something that probably bodes well. But to
Jim I suggest he look for other problems as a new set of "VW heads"
would not have dropped a seat so fast, but I also wonder where he
might have got such an animal, much more likely they were AMC heads
which will drop a seat in 10-15k in a heavily loaded or
insufficiently cooled application. Anyway I would personally call
Stehpens ask to speak to Bill I think and then AVP ask questions go
with who you feel more comfortable with. I note you must not be
disuaded by Stephens just because so many of his order takers are
idiots, make sure you talk to one of them who knows what he is
talking about.
> Also, can anyone give me advise on installing hydraulic lifters while I
> have the "mouse wheel" out. - Is it worth it? Do I have to open oil
> passages, install a bigger oil pump? Should I send the block out to a
> pro?
Uh, you don't actually even have to take it out for the lifters, they
drop in, you need different push rods, no engine mods (we are talking
T4 here aren't we), as to whether or not you should change the cam
and valve springs as well, opinions vary but a lot of people do the
conversion anyway.
John
vwbus@netbiz.net
| 
