Believe me it can be done.
It can' be done in a VW bus of 79 or earlier but in the vanagon you can get
both heads off and install rod bearings with the engine in the car.
I have pulled the heads / cylinders with the engine in place several times
in 10 years of owning vans.
Once all the sheet metal is removed and the exhaust system dropped off
you'll have plenty of room to work.

Stan Wilder

----- Original Message -----
From: "Antaki" <wrack@comcast.net>
To: "'Stan Wilder'" <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 10:29 PM
Subject: RE: fixing low oil pressure

> Stan Wilder Wrote:
>
> Yes you can replace the rod bearings without splitting the case.
> Yes you can examine and measure the rod journals on the crank without
> splitting the case.
>
> Causing me to ask -
>
> How???