Hello all!

A few weeks ago, I posted about pulling the right head on a friend's
newly-acquired '87 Westy 2.1 l.  Long story short, the head was junk -
cracks, stuck exhaust valve.  He is now in possession of a shiny new
AMC head and we are making preparations to put it all back together.
I've been re-reading the responses to my posts, the general list
archives, vendor Web sites, etc.  (Note: I don't know where he got the
AMC head from; I am aware of the idea that these heads may need work,
even brand new.)

I do have a question about the O-rings/gaskets around the outside bottom
of the cylinders, where the cylinders seat into the crankcase.  When we
pulled the head, #1 cylinder came loose from the crankcase, but #2
cylinder stayed put.  We are going to clean the base of #1 cylinder and
install the new O-ring while it's easy to get to.  The question: What
category does doing the same thing on #2 cylinder fall into?  "Do it now
or you'll be pulling the head in 100 miles to do it"?  "Usually it
doesn't leak"?  "It never leaks, don't worry about it"?

Boston Bob, at http://www.bostonengine.com/articles/waterboxes.html ,
says:
"The o-ring at the bottom of the cylinder is not likely to leak if you
  disturbed the cylinder."

Ben, at http://www.benplace.com/head.htm , says:
"I think that the inner flexible O- ring (core side) can be reuse. For
  sure for a perfect job it should be replace. That implies getting all
  4-cylinder sleeves out!!!"

I know what the answer is if you are wearing your official coveralls
and have the engine out on a stand in the factory workshop with the
white ceramic tile on the floor and the full chest of special tools.
I'm just wondering if a different answer applies when you're lying
under the van with your VWX-011 and VWX-068 * in a garage in Oklahoma.
:)

Thanks!

Matt Roberds

* http://www.type2.com/archive/vintagebus/043583.html