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Date:         Sat, 6 Dec 1997 17:04:40 -0400
Reply-To:     mark keller <kelphoto@BRIGHT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         mark keller <kelphoto@BRIGHT.NET>
Subject:      Re: Cooling System failure Prevention Idea.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>From: KENWILFY <KENWILFY@aol.com> > >I too have been pondering this problem. I think the main culprit is the head >gasket. Like you said it is rubber instead of metal or something hard like >most head gaskets. The flexibilty of the rubber is probably supposed to allow >for all the expanding and contracting that you are talking about, but it >becomes the achilles heel of the motor as well, allowing the coolant to flow >around it when clamping force is low thus corroding the heads.

My suggestion >is to try and find another material to make the gasket from. One that is >flexible, yet springy enough to prevent the coolant from coming around it >during expansion or contraction. Any suggestions?

Yeah I thought about it some, I reliaze you questions assumes a "better mousetrap" on the gasket, but I feel if VW can't come up with a compound chances are good it's not really effective way of overcoming the total problem.

There are just too many aluminim engines in the world, getting by without corroding, to blame this simply on metallugical corresive causes. VW is so tight lipped, that's why all the guessing by us lay folk, at to how best fix their mistake.

if I had the engine to test it on, I think I'd consider getting an aluminum spacer made just like the gasket and JB Weld the head together. Then just treat it like a ordinary air cooled head. I don't where the "give in the system would be" though. Where is the give in Air Cooled heads.

Sincerely Mark 91 Carat WE "Lazarus"


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