In a message dated 10/06/2008 10:10:46 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

I just  pulled the heads off of my 84 westy (first time to pull heads off any
 car)
I did it with the engine still in,
the piston sleeves  would not come off so i pulled them out, 2 with each head.
Once i  beat the sleeves off with a wooden block and a hammer, i noticed a
hair line  cracks between all 4 sets of valves.

sooooo... the question  is,
where do i get new or rebuilt heads for the lowest  price.
cause this sucks and i don't have much money.
let  me know,

Shawn,  the heads may be good, the best way to find out is to get them to a
machine shop  and have them leak tested.  If the cracks are leaking they will
declare  them scrap.  If the valves are leaking they will reseat or replace
them.  I have new AMC heads listed on my _Vanagon Items Forsale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/sales.htm)  webpage  > Cylinder head, 1.9/2.1, AMC, 1001, 025
101 065  -   $475.00.  If your gonna keep that engine and that van for any good
length  of time I would highly recommend you install two new AMC heads -
UNLESS - the  bottom end is near the end of it's life.   NOW - how you gonna get
the  cylinders back on the pistons without breaking the rings ?  I just know
your gonna ask that question next.  That is tricky to do with the engine  still
in the van.  The right way is to remove the piston pins which entails
removing lots of cooling tubes and the waterpump as the pistons are first  inserted
into the barrels then attached to the rods.  Doing that under the  van is not
easy.  The other way is to find or make some sort of ring  compressor that
will compress the rings to get the barrels on then be able to  extract the
compressor - GOOD LUCK !   AND, are you gonna replace the  rings while your at it ?
Then you need to hone the cylinders.  Have  you checked the cylinders to see
if they are within spec or have become oval as  75% of the ones I have checked
?  If they are oval then trying to get  new rings to seat will not work very
well.  You'd be better off using the  old rings or getting a set of new
pistons and cylinders - now your into the big  bucks !

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008