Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 15:27:56 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject: Re: Vanagon reliabillity reputation (Long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Both torque to stretch and conventional rod bolts were used in the
waterboxer engines, according to the Haynes manual, and you can tell the
difference by the thread length. Conventional bolts don't need to be
replaced, but I do so if it is the second rebuild on any engine.
The proper answer from an engine rebuilder would be "...we replace all
torque to stretch bolts with new." If they don't know about this, then
they are not qualified to rebuild waterboxers!
Graham Challis wrote:
>
> I'm amazed that an engine builder has not heard of the
> fact that a torqued bolt will stretch - that's one of
> the items that HAS to conform to specifications in an
> engine rebuild and if it's been stretched it's not
> going to conform. Plus, how much do a few bolts and
> nuts cost?
>
> --- Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM wrote:
> > They sure do love those parts mark-ups, though!
> >
> > John wrote:
> > >
> > > List members,
> > >
> > > Following up my comments on the new Vanagon
> > owner's spark plug blowing
> > > out of the head, I remembered (at least) two other
> > notable instances.
> > >
> > > 1) Two years ago I needed an engine and went
> > shopping (I settled for a
> > > VW Canada remanufactured long block). When I
> > talked with engine
> > > suppliers, I asked to talk with their head
> > technical guy to discuss WHAT
> > > goes into their reman motors. When I talked with
> > the GEX tech guy, I
> > > noticed on the list of new components, 2.1L con
> > rod bolts were not
> > > listed. When I asked about the absense of new con
> > rod bolts, the GEX
> > > tech guy asked "why should we replace them"?
> > >
> > > People like the GEX guy are contributing to the
> > Vanagon poor reliability
> > > reputation while draining the purses of the
> > Vanagon owners! Many Vanagon
> > > owners who endure the cost of a so called
> > remanufactured motor that
> > > "granades" will usually sell the Vanagon as-is
> > believing that high
> > > mileage Vanagons are just not reliable when the
> > engine builder's product
> > > ignorance is the real problem. This is probably
> > why the few competent
> > > and professional engine builders (Boston Engine,
> > etc.) have almost a
> > > mythical reputation.
> > >
> > > 2) A while ago, on the advice of national VW
> > customer relations, I
> > > visted an authorized VW service department for
> > some information. What I
> > > found was wide-spread Vanagon product ignorance
> > and a genuine distaste
> > > for the Vanagon. One particularly negative
> > technician openly berated the
> > > Vanagon product in front of service advisers and
> > other employees. When I
> > > asked his qualifcations, I found the following:
> > >
> > > 1) He never attended any Vanagon technical
> > training
> > >
> > > 2) He rarely works on Vanagons because "they're
> > junk"
> > >
> > > 3) "Everybody" knows how poorly designed the
> > Vanagon is
> > >
> > > With an attitude like this, this dealer and other
> > like-minded repair
> > > facilities are UNFIT to put their hands on the
> > Vanagon product. If they
> > > do, either their product ignorance or their poor
> > opinion of the Vanagon
> > > will endanger the longevity of the repair.
> > >
> > > Thanks for listening, JP
> >
> >
> >
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext 208
Getting your share of the Net yet?
http://www.cobaltgroup.com
http://www.casedealer.com/demo
http://www.caseihdealer.com/demo
|