Well I started the big project of replacing the head gasket on the 91 GL
this morning.  I have the week to work on it and I'm hoping the weather will
hold up.  There has been a small but consistently present leak from both
heads since the winter (more in winter, but still there in warmer weather).
I've drained oil and coolant, removed the exhaust studs/nuts from the heads
(no breakage thanks to the technique supplied by G Mathew Bulley in the
archives) and was about to remove the intake manifolds but realized I had a
question...
    1.  It looks like I will have to remove part (all/most) of the exhaust
system, No??  I guess what I did not notice before was that each head has
one set of studs and one set of bolts, so I am assuming that once I get the
head nuts loose (in the correct order of disassembly) the head will not come
off since there is a set of studs still present on each head that is
inserted into a crossover type of exhaust pipe... so I need to remove those
exhaust pipes right?? (is this why there is so much talk of SS headers??)
    2.  I can leave the injectors/fuel rail attached to the manifold, No?
It looks like the fuel rail is bolted onto the intake and if I just unbolt
the two bolts that hold each manifold onto each head then all should be
fine, right??

Thanks for the feedback on these novice questions... I certainly could not
have gotten as far as I have gotten today without the advice/help of the
list.  You are all great!!

--
Dan Erlandson
Flemington, NJ
> danoer1@eclipse.net
91 VW Vanagon GL 170,000 mi
99 VW Passat 107,000 mi