I second that

Bob Donalds

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 11:27 PM
Subject: Re: exhaust gasket question 2.1

> The exhaust gaskets last until the flanges either come loose or bend. Once
> they start to leak, they tend to burn up. The after market exhausts
> (including Dansk) have flanges that are thinner than the OEM. No, they are
> not the same.
>
> As for the head gaskets only lasting 5 or 6 years, while failure is common
> to many, the trick is avoiding the cause. My Red van has only had the
> gaskets replaced once in 21 years and FUN BUS still has the original set
> with 254K on it. I wish the tranny lasted as long. Red van needed gaskets
> and one head as road salt actually ate the head to the point that the
> exhaust studs broke out of the crumbling mess. And let's stop whining
> about heads and gaskets. After the exhaust is off you got two nuts for the
> rockers and 8 for the heads and some prying and there off. As for
> comparison to other cars, go through the phone book and look at all those
> engine shops. Most of them make their living on American and Asian cars.
> And most unexpected engine failures are due to support system failures
> including the water boxer. Oh and the concept of engines with removable
> piston liners with seals at both ends, look at most of those large tractor
> trailer and industrial engines. Engines with parent bores, (cylinders cast
> in the block) are considered by many to be disposable. The real heavy duty
> engines have all parts that wear replaceable with the engine in place (in
> frame) including the cylinder liners. Of course they are not perfect but
> the Water boxer is not really that bad a design.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Scott Daniel - Shazam
> Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 10:44 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: exhaust gasket question 2.1
>
> My experience is different on the exhaust port gaskets.
>
> I've been using german aftermarket ones going on 30 some years.
>
> Never a problem.
>
> The flanges do have to be parallel to the head face where they bolt on,
> and
> the flanges have to be flat of course .  the pipes can warp and crack..so
> need to make sure the pipes are good, but good pipes, german aftermarket
> exhaust part gaskets, installed carefully...they'll be fine until your
> next
> head gaskest job, which isn't even that far away considering how mickey
> mouse the waterboxer head gasket system is.  - about 5 years, maybe 6.
>
>  I can't image that a sheet of copper would work very well.
>
> Though you were going to say to make your own copper & asbestoes sandwich
> of
> materials, and that could work really great I'd think.
>
> Scott
>
> www.turbovans.com <http://www.turbovans.com/>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> David Kao
> Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 5:47 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: exhaust gasket question 2.1
>
>
>
> Is it a good/bad idea to make your own exhaust gasket using sheet copper
>
> available from hardware store? Has anyone tried this? I will soon begin
>
> to dismantle my 84's engine and replace the tranny at the same time.
>
> The engine will receive a set of new Cofap and a pair of used heads.
>
> I can anticipate need of a set of new exhaust gaskets. The gaskets seem
>
> to crap out quickly and not cheap. I am seeking an alternative.
>
>
>
> David
>
>
>
>
>
> --- Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET> wrote:
>
>
>
>>  Metal won't get stuck to what it's clamped against, but composite may.
>
>> Which part is easier to remove and scrape a baked-on gasket off of?  I'd
> put
>
>> metal towards the head, for that reason alone............
>
>>
>
>> Mike B.
>
>>
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>
>> From: "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>
>> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:18 PM
>
>> Subject: Re: exhaust gasket question 2.1
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> > Thanks, all, as usual. Metal to the head it will be.
>
>> > Jim
>
>> >
>
>> > On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 7:01 PM, Jake de Villiers <
>
>> > crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> >
>
>> >> I've always put the metal side to the source of the heat whatever the
>
>> >> make
>
>> >> of engine but I remember a post not too long ago that espoused the
>
>> >> opposite.
>
>> >>
>
>> >> In 35 years of hot rodding etc I've never had a problem when putting
> the
>
>> >> metal side to the exhaust port.   :)
>
>> >>
>
>> >> On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 4:44 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> >>
>
>> >> > My first question is why does a Vanagon full gasket set come with
> only
>
>> >> > two
>
>> >> > head-to-pipe gaskets when it requires four?
>
>> >> > My real question is which side goes toward the head, the composite
> side
>
>> >> > or
>
>> >> > the metal side?
>
>> >> >
>
>> >> > Obviously I'm talking about the kind that's thin steel bonded or
>
>> >> > crimped
>
>> >> > to
>
>> >> > a composite material.
>
>> >> >
>
>> >> > Thanks,
>
>> >> >
>
>> >> > Jim
>
>> >> >
>
>> >>
>
>> >>
>
>> >>
>
>> >> --
>
>> >> Jake
>
>> >> 1984 Vanagon GL
>
>> >> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
>
>> >> Crescent Beach, BC
>
>> >> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>
>> >> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
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