Hi Folks,
    Well finally got a stock exhaust system into the van- a great thing.
I've never heard what the Vanagon was supposed to sound like and it's very
nice.
    However: the guy who did it must have over-torqued something because now
I have a crack where the upper exhaust bolt meets the head at the #1
cylinder. It's maybe 1 1/2" long, and of course widens outward. It's easily
visible from above, right below the airbox.
    Now, what's done is done, and I'm not looking to start a war with the
mech who did the job. I'm gonna call him in the morning and see what he has
to say, and go from there. Most likely, though, he won't have Aluminum
welding gear. Hopefully he has a buddy to call a favor in with who can do
the weld gratis without pulling the head.
    I'm looking for experience here, best and worst case sceneario's, etc.
Perhaps finally a legit use for JB Weld? In the meantime, I'm gonna avoid
running it, but if I have to I think I'll remove the offending bolt to avoid
stressing the head further. A depressing thought; that location is the same
as the unweld-able non-stock header crack that I was trying to remedy.

Thanks,

Matt Sutton
88GL
Brooklyn, NY