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<P>Les,&nbsp; I going to give you some insights from my experience on the job.&nbsp; First off,&nbsp; don't do it in your driveway unless you really know what you're doing.&nbsp; I guess it could depend on whether or not you are in a warm climate or not....( too many folks forget to say where they are in this very large country (unless you are somewhere else), it really helps to know usually -fyi).&nbsp; Another reason is dust, dirt, insects, whatever can get into your block and that's big time trouble.</P>
<P>I'd plan on two days if you are only going to run the gaskets and the heads.&nbsp; If you tackled the water pump, this it the same, only more messy, longer and harder. The job has to be done right if you do it yourself, since you don't want to do it again, or have to pay someone--which is why you want to do the job yourself in the first place.&nbsp; I know you know this, I just want to type it out because that is the most important thing to consider.&nbsp; I did (and do) my own work only because I cannot afford the other options.&nbsp; </P>
<P>Reaseach, reseach.&nbsp; There is tons of info on this subject throughout the archives and consult boston bob's site, bostonengine.com.&nbsp; Buy new heads from him.&nbsp; You can jb weld the old heads, but if the mileage is up there?????? You're on your own.</P>
<P>The transmission???? AT or manual?&nbsp; The first gear sounds like another spendy prob.</P>
<P>Torque wrench!</P>
<P>good luck, and remember, doing your own heads is what separates the REAL vanagon owners from the others who just happen to drive a vanagon.......(hope that doesn't start a thread!!)<BR>&nbsp;</P>
<P>Brian Cochran</P>
<P>84westy</P>
<P>Seattle WA<BR></P><BR><BR><BR>
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