Mark Seifert wrote:

> When I rebuilt my 2.1 waterboxer, I never needed any special tools. I
> used a
> slide hammer to pull the wrist pins out. Everyone has told me not to
> use the
> click-type torque wrench on the heads. Not sure exactly why, but they
> preach
> it, so I listened. I bought a cheapo pointer-syle for $11. Those dont
> seem
> very accurate, but I dont think it has to be exactly 37 lbs anyway.

Mark,

BAD! BAD! BAD!

Torque values specified are specified for a reason. and this is
especially true on head bolts. Get even one head bolt out of spec and
you are headed for trouble. This would allow uneven expansion/flex and
result in a seal leak, or worse, a cracked head or case. For these
reasons the torque wrench needs to be a good one that is properly
calibrated, and whose variations  through the ranges of torque for the
wrench are minimal. In other words, as Marisa Tormei said in the movie
"My Cousin Vinny" --- " The torque wrench should be dead on balls
accurate!"  She was right on. Especially on head bolts. And case bolts
where applicable.

I had a cylinder barrel come loose on an airplane in flight one time,
because some damn fool didn't use the calibration tool to calibrate the
torque wrench before tightening down the nuts on the cylinder
case-studs. It's a wonder the engine didn't just fail, but I managed to
get the aircraft on the ground ok. Oil was all over the place. The noise
was awful, and scared the crap out of me. Hell of a noise. Several studs
were broken, and nuts backed off on others, allowing the cylinder to
work up and down. Could have been deadly.

Vanagon engines are not quite so crucial, but you could destroy an
engine if the torques are not properly applied.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver