Hey nice writing.

A thought.

On the bell housing (clutch housing), if you can, slide the cross
shaft to drivers side and put a little greeze on the exposed passenger
side end. Also try greezing the bushings on the driver side too.

Rawk on!

Neil.

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 6:17 PM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote:
> I see no way that a "crook" could give me a different set of heads, even if
>  he had a huge stock of used 1.9 heads. The reason being, they have NO cracks
>  between the valve seats, have already been beadblasted with great detail,
>  and have some distinguishing "repairs" to threads, along with an epoxy fix
>  on the coolant pipe attachment. I also have plenty of pictures, and it would
>  take the machinist an exorbatent amount of effort in order to pull this one
>  off. I think noone would be dumb enough to hand me a set of cracked, greasy,
>  clearly baked on-stuff cylinder heads, when i presented them with the set i
>  did.
>  While the heads are getting done, i made my parts orders today and must
>  highly recomend Ken Willford of Vanagain for all your future parts needs!
>  Furthermore, last week's conclusion of the "Great spring break Vanagon
>  Build!" ended as follows:
>
>  I ended up cutting my steel pipes in the rear at two locations a foot apart
>  for easy fitting of the couplings. I used marine grade coolant hose in 6''
>  sections as my couplings, with all stainless steel hose clamps (2 per side,
>  4 per coupling) to assure this repair will last a long time. I was hoping to
>  get 8'' or 10'' couplings, but they only had a foot of the stuff....and i
>  was running out of time. It will work, and it will last a long time, at
>  least the remaining life of this van. I must say though, i would rather
>  never have to crawl under my van with a SawZaw and "a plan" ever again.
>  In the process of cutting the "right pipe" (Which is the pipe that the rear
>  section was replaced with various bits of coolant hose coupled by metal
>  couplings over the course of the previous owners life), the vibrations of
>  the sawzaw shaking the "left pipe" which was believed to be "ok". It was
>  rusty but complete.....developed a pinhole and leaked a ton of coolant!
>  Thats a narrowly avoided failure! So, my pipes are back together, with stock
>  sections of "good" steel pipes, though i did use two "left" pipes as my
>  repair sections.....it all seems to fit together so far.
>
>  The Bellhousing....
>  I always thought that i was having clutch issues associated with "a weak
>  clutch" as in, worn out. Having little experience with stickshift cars, and
>  NO experience outside of my own stickshift vanagon, i didn't know i had a
>  much larger problem...
>  We discovered the pilot bearing had ceased to exist, but had not damaged the
>  input shaft.
>  The bellhousing however, was a problem. The lever on the side was so tough
>  to move, that putting vicegrips on it and all of your weight was not an
>  efficient means of actuating it, a hammer was brought into the equation.
>  That bellhousing was abandoned, and another was found, with a similar
>  problem but to a lesser degree. After working it quite a bit, and using
>  plenty of KROIL and WD40, those problems have dissapeared. The bellhousing
>  is ready for reinstallation!
>
>
>  Then came the waterpump....
>  Well i know the replacement of a 1.9 waterpump is not a "GREAT" job to do
>  with the engine in the van....but mine was simply rediculous! We have the
>  engine sitting on a table, all the necessary tools at hand, ALL the
>  accessories off the engine, and it took FOUR HOURS to get off. The final
>  method of removal involved using a dremel to cut away at the waterpump's
>  housing on the lower right bolt, heating it up, and pounding away. With the
>  proper leverage, it was removed. The job simply would not have been possible
>  with the engine in the van. THIS IS WHY WE ALL NEED TO OWN A TUBE OF
>  ANTI-SEIZE!!!!! Clearly, my engine was stored in a barrel of heavily
>  oxygenated water for most of its life, as the rusty fasteners were simply
>  rediculous. We are now approaching the uphill section of the battle, and
>  reassembly will be soon!
>
>  The game plan:
>  I'll be spending this week anticipating parts arriving, and concentrating on
>  my education. However, this weekend will be spent getting the van ready to
>  accept the engine. By this i mean, fixing the hot foot problem,
>  reassembly/reinstallation of the gastank, replacing the fuel lines,
>  assembling an intake/fuel injection system, and further
>  beadblasting/painting engine components. If all goes well, the following
>  weekend will be spent putting the heads on, and bolting the whole thing
>  together! Then theres a clutch, and brakes to be bled....
>
>  For those of you avidly following my woes, this is your update. I hope you
>  enjoyed it.
>
>  -Craig
>  '85GL
>
>
>
>  On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 8:21 PM, pdooley <psdooley@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > David, I am a little paranoid about taking anything in for service.
>  >
>  > I would mark the parts with a very small, inconspicuous marking or symbol
>  > in
>  > a very inconspicuous place that will not get ground down or machined off
>  > by
>  > the shop.
>  > Take several digital pictures of the part with the markings showing before
>  > dropping off at the machine shop.
>  >
>  > You may still get screwed in the end but at least you can prove your point
>  > and give the crooks a good scare.
>  >
>  > -----Original Message-----
>  > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>  > David Kao
>  > Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 5:49 PM
>  > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>  > Subject: Re: Engine Removal
>  >
>  > When I was much younger and inexperienced I sent a BMW 2002 head to a
>  > machine shop for a valve job. They called me the next day and told me
>  > that I had a crack on the head. I rushed back to the shop and saw
>  > a head that I could not recognize and it had a severe crack. My head
>  > did not have a crack like that before I sent it in. I could not do
>  > anything to prove that it wasn't the one I sent in. I swallowed the loss.
>  >
>  > A few years passed by and I saw on the news that the machine shop was
>  > busted by police. The district attorney received many complaints about
>  > the shop and launched an investigation. The shop owner was indicted
>  > and the shop was closed. My BMW was not smog compliant and I eventually
>  > gave it up to charity. The incident of the head prevented me getting too
>  > deep into rebuilding it. I am glad that I gave it up.
>  >
>  > But I have since developed a fear of going into a machine shop.  I am
>  > not trying to say all machine shops are run by crooks. What will you
>  > do to avoid being victimized by machine shops? Of course I am now
>  > much more experienced and I probably can avoid it by natural gut
>  > feeling about a machine shop. But I am not sure how to identify a
>  > good one from a bad one without getting some business done first.
>  >
>  > David
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > --- Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
>  >
>  > > Craig, send your heads out to a machine shop.  They will do a valve job
>  > > for you and also repair the exhaust studs no problems for not much
>  > > money.  They will also clean the heads and when you get them back you
>  > > won't recognize them.  Have fun and if you need anything please feel
>  > > free to give me an email or call.
>  > >
>  > > Sincerely,
>  > > Ken Wilford
>  > > John 3:16
>  > > www.vanagain.com
>  > >
>  > >
>  > > craig cowan wrote:
>  > > > Hey Gang. As some of you may know, i've had nothing but engine
>  > troubles
>  > for
>  > > > about....a year and a half now. I just gave up. Something needed to be
>  > > > done...
>  > > > So i made arrangements with local Vanagon Guy Walt Spak to buy a good
>  > > > running 1.9 from him. I still have dreams of a conversion someday, and
>  > still
>  > > > hope to do one eventually, maybe on my next van. But i need to get
>  > this
>  > van
>  > > > running for the summer, and i am home from college on spring break
>  > after
>  > my
>  > > > spring break plans fell through, so i thought "What better time than
>  > now?".
>  > > > Yesterday i got down and dirty with it, and successfully removed the
>  > engine
>  > > > for the first time! I was supprised as to how smoothly everything
>  > went,
>  > and
>  > > > it was so nice having the engine out! I had every intention on
>  > replacing
>  > my
>  > > > engine and all the components, as i have vaccuum leaks, everythings
>  > rusty
>  > > > beyond use, and my fuel injection system just SUCKS. In addition,
>  > after
>  > last
>  > > > summers exhaust issues ($500 in labor to have them screw up and 'fix'
>  > their
>  > > > screwup after breaking a drillbit off inside my head...all in order to
>  > > > replace a single $2.50 exhaust gasket...), i had no intention on EVER
>  > > > reusing that head.
>  > > > With signs of headgasket leakage immenant, and a clutch that was too
>  > weak to
>  > > > make it out of the driveway... it was time to do something.
>  > > >
>  > > > A single college student with little mechanical background can remove
>  > a
>  > > > vanagon engine with only an assistant for the latter portions of the
>  > engine
>  > > > removal. To go a few steps further, today i pulled the entire intake,
>  > > > exhaust, fuel injection, and cooling systems, reducing my engine to a
>  > block.
>  > > > For curiosity's sake....i pulled the heads (some trouble with the
>  > cylinders
>  > > > trying to come out with the heads....). With the heads off it was
>  > obvious
>  > > > that this really IS a low milege engine (Supposedly a canadian
>  > rebuild)
>  > as i
>  > > > was told by the previous owner! Not a single crack between the valves,
>  > minor
>  > > > pitting, and everything looks as if its been working well! Long story
>  > short,
>  > > > it looks like i'll be reusing this engine and just replacing
>  > everything
>  > > > around it! Aside from a few broken bolts, and some concerns about
>  > fixing
>  > my
>  > > > one exhaust port "propperly", i think this should be a good candidate
>  > to
>  > > > make my van run and run well!
>  > > >
>  > > > Tommorow, I'll be dropping the gas tank (to revise my resealing of
>  > last
>  > > > year), and replacing the rusted out coolant pipes using a good used
>  > set.
>  > > > This should be quite a wrestling match, i have NO idea how well these
>  > will
>  > > > go in, as they were plently hard to get out of the parts car...
>  > > > Any tips for this?
>  > > >
>  > > > Once the engine's back in with a bunch of good new and good used
>  > parts,
>  > i
>  > > > can start on the body : )
>  > > >
>  > > > Thanks for all the help and advice from so many of you! I've learned
>  > so
>  > > > much, and i'm confident now more than ever in my abilities to work on
>  > > > vanagons!
>  > > >
>  > > > -Craig
>  > > > '85GL
>  > > >
>  > > >
>  > > >
>  > >
>  >
>  >
>  > __________________________________________________
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>

--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco"

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