Date:         Fri, 25 Jun 1999 01:35:23 -0700
Reply-To:     Coby Smolens <cobys@WELL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Coby Smolens <cobys@WELL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Removing head nut
Comments: To: thewestyman@MINDSPRING.COM
In-Reply-To:  <01ab01bebeb6$afefb480$c4b81004@karlmull>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You do NOT want to break one of the head mounting studs. If one breaks at
the inner end you will be doing a complete engine teardown to replace it. I
like Karl's idea of drilling the hole in the nut - it has beauty and
simplicity and might just work. You might also try carefully heating the nut
using a small propane flame. It'll help loosen up the sealant. BTW - How
come you have black sealant on the nut? The black stuff is s'pose to go on
the big rubber gasket, and the yellow stuff goes on the nuts...

Seriously - I would be thinking about using a Dremel with a carbide bit or
one of the little cutting wheels to whittle the nut off before breaking the
stud. The thread may indeed need to be chased when you're done, but the
alternative is gruesome. Best of good fortune!

Coby

Valley Wagonworks
"Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"

Volkswagen Bus, Vanagon, Westfalia and Eurovan
Repair and Service Specialists

1535 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo, CA 94933
Voice:(415) 457-5628
Fax: (415) 457-0967
http://wagonworks.com
mailto:contact@wagonworks.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Karl Mullendore
> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 1999 7:59 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Removing head nut
>
>
> You seem to have what I would call a 'hydraulic lock'. One way to save the
> day would be to drill a small hole in the end of the nut, thereby
> relieving
> the lock. (*Unless the problem somehow is a cross-threaded nut*) Yes, the
> studs do come out with the case together, but of course the head
> needs to be
> removed.
>
> Karl
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dave Bayer <daveb@CP.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 1999 10:38 PM
> Subject: Removing head nut
>
>
> > Ok, I went to reseal one head that had a leaky head nut that I
> > just could not seem to seal with the head on. I was in a big
> > hurry and I believe I got a bunch of black VW sealant in the
> > head nut. Anyway, I had twisted the thing on by hand for a
> > couple revolutions and then pulled out the rachet to get it
> > down to the head. Well, the nut stopped turning a couple
> > millimeters from the head (ugh!) and would not come off. I
> > let it sit for a long time and went out to try and pull the
> > nut off again but the thing will not budge (I think I am
> > bending the stud now). So I have a couple questions:
> >
> > 1) Has this ever happened to anyone else?!
> >
> > 2) How do the studs come out? Are they replacable with
> > the case bolted together?
> >
> > TIA!
> >
> > dave
>