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> This is one of the toughest jobs on a Vanagon. (Maybe we should
> start a new thread: what is the toughest job on a Vanagon?) the only
> thing I'd rate tougher is putting the piston/ cylinder assemblies into a
> Waterboxer.
> Al Brase
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The only time I've done the exhaust or the pistons, I had the engine on a
stand. I found the pistons to be fairly straightforward and didn't really
have any problem with them, at least after I made a tool for the wrist pins.
With the exhaust system, I wound up putting the pieces together (more like
'forcing' some of them) and just putting the nuts on one turn or so until I
had it all hung together and then went around more-or-less in order
tightening them up until it was tight. I do this with many things that are
of dubious fit, keeps you from having to go back and loosen things to make
later things fit.

I can tell you from experience that putting in the auto tranny by yourself
is tough, mostly from a strength/leverage and alignment standpoint.

Personally, I hate chasing electrical problems. I know how to do it well
enough but it's time consuming and I always seem to end up upside-down under
the dash, which, while it might be great comic relief for others, doesn't do
much for me.

I also have a problem with aligning/re-hanging doors (if doing it by myself)
for some reason- at least, I'm never much satisfied with the results, but
that may come from trying to get a perfect fit and not getting it.

'Course, I don't have a Westy or a Syncro, so I haven't had to deal with
some of the more esoteric crap y'all go on about.

Cya,
Robert