On every other vehicle on which I've replaced a head gasket, I went back at
about 1000 miles and about 5000 miles to re-torque the head bolts and check
the valve settings. I was taught that this was conventional wisdom,
essentially. I didn't do it on my Vgon because I got the idea shortly after
getting on the list that doing so would possibly/probably disturb the yellow
goop and cause coolant to leak out under the valve covers. I think about
this pretty much every time I look at the engine 'cause it bugs me.
Now it seems that the idea is that the yellow goop is goopish precisely so
that you can re-set the head nuts without breaching the seal. Is this the
case? If it is, then I would be inclined to go back into the engine and
scratch my itch.
I would also then think that this should be done on any WBX that had the
heads disturbed, rebuilds particularly. I wouldn't necessarily in that case
think of it as a fault with AVP per se, but just something that should be
done as SOP- but that's me.
What about you mechanics/builders/rebuilders? Is this something you would
think should be done as maintenance or is it a 'if ain't broke' thing?
Benny? Bob?

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Blake Heinlein" <blakeheinlein@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 11:21 AM
Subject: Re: Head Retorquing On New Engine

Larry,

I wish that we had talked to eachother back then.  So another lesson learn
on the Vanagon List.  Check your head bolts when you buy a new AVP engine.
Make sure they are tight!!!  Maybe just stear clear, but I let you make your
own call.

--
Blake Heinlein
1984 Westfalia
Sacramento, CA
blakeheinlein@gmail.com
http://www.home.surewest.net/heinlein

On 1/27/06, Larry Chase <roadguy@roadhaus.com> wrote:
>
> Blake,
>
> I'll be damn.
>
> That is almost exactly what happened to me.
>
> At around 12,000 miles my AVP Rebuilt began showing the same sytoms as
> yours.
>
> Took two VW shops to figure out what the problem was ... but not after I
> replaced
> every major componet in the collant system including radiator.
>
> Problem ... combustion gasses in the collant.
>
> Found that I had 9 loose engine bolts ... but unfortuntley by the time we
> properly diagnosed the
> cause one of heads was slightly warped and I needed new head gaskets.
>
> BTW ... AVP was terrible to deal with. Even though the engine was still
> under warranty they
> claimed no responsibility and were totally rude. Aftwer much back and
> forth and intervention by
> Ron Salomn of Bus Depot (were I bougth the engine) they agree to provide a
> set of head gaskets
> and a "reworked set of VW heads". I took th eparts but decided to purchase
> a set of new AMC heads
> and have them installed instead. That was maybe 5-7,000 miles ago and all
> seems fine so far.
>
> With your AVP engine I'm now aware of 4 other AVP engines that had the
> same problem at
> 10,000 - 25,000 miles.
>
> good road,
> good adventure,
> good life
>
> larry chase
> roadhaus.com
>