In a message dated 09/02/2007 12:48:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

I have a  2.1 that was rebuilt top and bottom at 150K and now it seems to be
leaking  through the inner head gasket again.  I have 215K now and the  engine
runs great but my coolant level will rise significantly during  driving and
has a slow steady stream of small bubbles in it.  I  remember this happening
last time before a catastrophic head blowout.   (engine had a roaring boil
coming of the coolant bottle and never started  again after cooling off) Is
roughly 70K average for a head problem on a  rebuild?

My real questing is what next.  I am still not ready to  part with my
Vanagon, but I don't have a ton of money to spend on it right  now.  If I
continue to drive it will I ruin the top of the Cylinders  requiring more
than a top end rebuild?  If I do just a top end will I  most likely need new
heads instead of just gaskets?  Should I try to  re-torque the current heads
or will I most likely just crack  them?

Thank you for everyone's insight,

If the head gaskets are  installed correctly they will not leak - ever !
See my _VW Vanagon waterboxer head &  gasket repair_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/gasket.htm)  webpage.  They are now leaking, corrosion has started ,  it
will only get worse,  re-torqueing will do noting but stretch the  studs.  Maybe
they are already stretched and that's why the leaking.   New heads vs old
heads, if the old ones are not cracked or pitted beyond  reasonable reuse use
them otherwise it's better to have new AMC heads for  many reasons explained in
the archives over years of postings.

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg  (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
for  sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
_Vanagon  Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,  2007