Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 10:44:14 EST
Reply-To: VW85Westy@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Peter Krogh <VW85Westy@AOL.COM>
Subject: Help, Leaky heads
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Greetings Listers. I have been absent for a while, but I still have been
driving the bus. Until just recently.
Well, it seems to have happened again. I went out the other morning and did
my customary look under the van and saw a puddle under the passenger side head
gasket. Some antifreeze was on one of the bolts under the tin. Oh, sh*t.
I'm looking for advice on what to do. Here's the situation:
Zippy (85 westy) has 180,000 miles, heads re-done at about 90,000. Has
started to use oil and has had a small head gasket leak for a year now. New
transmission with lifetime warranty (RMMW). We want to keep this car as
family camping vehicle, and a work vehicle for me. We have two other cars, so
this one can be out of service for some time, and it does not have the stress
of a daily driver.
My options are these:
#1 Put in some stop leak and drive it for (hopefully) andther year. One
mechanic said this is okay, another said don't do it. Any opinions? Also,
what is typical for failure of this technique? Catastrophic failure? Slow
leak re-emerging? Money is tight now, but should be better in the spring. A
delay the large expense would be most helpful.
#2 Have mechanic pull heads and R&R as necessary. He said that he has found
vanagons that only needed gaskets, but that sounds unlikely from what I know.
Also, he is wary of messing with a 13 year-old motor with 180,000 on it.
(remember it uses some oil. Says that I might be wasting money. What do you
think ?
#3 Put in a long block. Obviously the best solution. The Parts Place has
motors for $2200 plus shiping, the mechanic is getting an estimate from some
place called ATX or some such thing. Said they come with 3 year 36,000 mile
warranty. I spoke with Boston Bob and he did a pretty good job of selling me
on one of his complete rebuilt motors.
#4 Any suggestions on who to put it in? I'm in Washington DC, but willing to
travel for the right mechanic. I don't know if the van can drive far, but
could find a way to get it to the right mechanic, possibly as far away as
North Carolina or New York.
Any opinions appreciated. Please cc email to Kroghphoto@aol.com, as that is
my main account.
Thanks,
Peter & Zippy
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