Matt,

When I had my heads done this past spring the leaking gasket was the water
jacket gasket.  I had good compression on all 4 cylinders (140+), but was
still loosing coolant.  Replaced the gaskets and all was fine.

Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Sutton" <msutts@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 9:19 AM
Subject: 2nd opinion wtd: Compression vs Head gasket leak

> Good morning folks,
>     I'll try to keep a long story short here.
>     Brought my 88 GL to a local audi/vw place for some front end work,
> having heard good things about them from a sychro owner, and asked them to
> do a compression/leakdown test as well for good measure.
>     Today, they come back with a pretty heavy laundry list, the most
> troubling being leaky head gaskets both sides. Now, I'd known of a leak
> since the cold snap this winter and had been keeping an eye on it-
probably
> topping off the refill tank every ten days or so. No overheating, boiling
> over, or coolant in the exhaust, I had yet to trace the coolant loss to a
> specific source, though by smell I know the rear heater core is bad.
>     Now, by his estimation, there's no point in doing a compression test
on
> a 2.1 with leaky heads: if the heads leak coolant, your numbers will be
shot
> anyway.
>     True or false?
>     Not to make it more complicated but here's more info if you'd like:
> -had a compression/ leakdown test back in August, reasonable values with
> some weakness on Cyl. #1, probably rings.
> -approximately 140k on original engine, heads re-sealed at 80k by PO
> -the mechanic says, though a independent VW/Audi place, he "doesn't do
work
> on these engines". This in itself is confusing, compounded by his offer to
> sell me a later model/lower mileage Vanagon. I truly wish he hadn't said
> that, it makes me doubt everything he's said.
>     So, once again, I turn to the list.
>
> TIA
> -Matt Sutton
> 88 GL
> NYC