If you can be a wekek or two patient, I'll have a good set of used
heads  I'd let go for $150.  That would give you some financial room
to do a valve job if you wanted.  I feel for you as I've been there
and done that.

DM&FS

At 05:07 AM 6/11/2008, Frank Condelli wrote:
>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