I'm in the middle of JB welding the heads from my '85 and am faced with a
quandry:  All I can find in the archives about whether to remove the
cylinder barrels and replace the lower o rings is a post from Frank Condelli
that says to do it, and a mention of Boston Bob saying it's not neccessary
if the barrels weren't disturbed.  By all indications, I was able to remove
the heads without disturbing the barrels...  Advice, please.  I am reluctant
to pull the barrels since the motor is in the vehicle and I'd have to buy or
rent a ring compressor, etc...

Next issue - I have a noisy lifter and think I know which one it is.  Six
months after I bought the Vanagon (about 7 years ago) I had a push rod bend
and break its tube - #1 intake.  I replaced the pushrod and tube back then
and all has been fine since.  I think it's very, very likely this is the
noisy lifter, so I bought a new lifter to replace it while I have the heads
off.  Any reason I should think otherwise?

Thanks in advance.

Randy, Carla & Anna Huyck, Olympia, WA
'75 Rustfalia
'85 Vanagon GL
'90 Fox GL
'74 Super Beetle