Scott, It sounds so easy to check out the block. Honestly I did not
do it to my 83.5 because I thought it belongs to engine specialists.
On the other hand, replacing liners and heads are more common by
home mechanics like myself. My 83.5 was at 113k miles when I did that.
So I gambled it and assumed everything of the block was good. So far,
it runs better than ever. Its idle is so cool that sometimes I have
to step on the pedal to check if the engine is still running. I know
it's silly. The instrument lights tell me it is running. But sometimes
waiting for green light during traffic sitting behind the steering
wheel I can not hear nor feel my engine.

Why do you say Cofap a bargain brand? Is there any other brand available?
I was told that even VW brand liners are manufactured by Cofap these days.
I have not seen any other brands available other than OEM and Cofap.

David

--- Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> If one is doing pistons and barrels, it's only one more step to remove
> and inspect the rod bearings.......
> and what condition there are in is valuable information.
>   And you would naturally put in new rod bearings then, and you could
> even check the oil clearance with plasti-guage..........
> if you did all that , and it all spec-ed out right..........you could
> have quite a lot of confidence in that engine.
>
> I really like the 1.9 wbxr, *for a waterboxer* that is.
> I like them better than 2.1's lately.  Several advantages over the 2.1.
> and ........the bottom end of the 1.9 waterboxer has an easy 250,000
> miles in it, as long as you do head work and head gaskets every 100K or so.
>
> The bottom end of the 1.9 wbxr is so rugged and not over stressed that I
> have a buddy with on that has the oil wanring light on any time it's
> below 1.500 rpm once it's warmed up ! .............and I personally
> accidently took that engine to 72 mph in 4th - with a 5 speed
> ..........about 6,400 rpm I guestimate - Man ! ............a super
> strong bottom end of those things !!
>
> The pistons and barrels hardly wear on them........... but if new ones
> for only 200 bucks helped a lot in the power department ........right on !
> Maybe I'll try that too next time - though CoFab is the bargain brand
> for sure.
> scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
> David Kao wrote:
> > Max, what you said is very true. That's why a $150 pair of good used
> > heads were suggested. If the used heads do their jobs well then it
> > will proven worth a set of $200 liners too. My 83.5 suffered the early
> > Vanagon head gasket leak syndrome. I had VW worked on it under some
> > warranty coverage. But they put on a set of new heads and did nothing
> > to the liners. The 1.9 engine had never had all the horse power it should
> > have. So eventually I did the work to put on a $200 set of Cofap. After
> > 3000 miles of break-in now the 83.5 Westy has all the horses it should have.
> > It's a huge difference before and after. The condition of the liners
> > plays a critical role if the engine is going to perform or not.
> >
> > I guess the bottom block needs to be in good shape for all these to be
> > invested. The mileage of the engine is a good check point. If it is high
> > there is a good chance the block needs to be worked on first. I think
> > it has been said before that 1.9 WBX block is likely to be OK if the mileage
> > isn't too high.
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> > --- Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@cfu.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> I've always been nervous putting new liners pistons and rings on an
> >> engine with  old rod bearings.  The tight tolerances and extra load
> >> on the next oldest link in the drive train can easily spell failed
> >> rod bearing and then the engine is pretty much toast.
> >>
> >> My thinking was that I would give the guy a break since he's tight on
> >> cash. even if the engine only lasts another year, chances oare his
> >> investment in the heads will not go to waste.  The worst he'll be out
> >> is the cost of the gasket set.  Dropping another $200 in the jugs and
> >> then having it blow, that's really going to hurt.
> >>
> >> DM&FS
> >>
> >> At 11:22 AM 6/12/2008, David Kao wrote:
> >>
> >>> $150 for a pair of used but in good condition heads is sure a good
> >>> alternative while a new pair costs anywhere from $800 - $1000.
> >>> As long as there are no cracks you can do a good valve job on them
> >>> yourself and they will work very well for many more years to come.
> >>>
> >>> If you still have some budget after spending the $150 you may want
> >>> to consider a new liner set from Cofap. This has proven to be critical
> >>> to my engine I worked on last year. Before I replaced the liners my
> >>> 83.5 was powerless and consumed oil. It still had fairly reasonable
> >>> gas mileage but strangely enough that it was very poor in climbing
> >>> any hills.
> >>>
> >>> I pulled the engine, did a valve job myself and put in a new set of
> >>> liners. After 3k - 4k miles of breaking-in the engine is back to
> >>> normal. It went to Yosemite and back last month and averaged 21.5
> >>> MPG. It runs entirely different from before the engine work. My cost
> >>> was well below $500 if I remember it correctly.
> >>>
> >>> My point is while you had the heads off take the opportunity to replace
> >>> the liners. It was available on eBay for around $200. I saw it once at
> >>> $125 plus shipping and it was a new Cofap set. You will need a gasket
> >>> set for around $100 too.
> >>>
> >>> David
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --- Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> 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
> >>>>>
> >>
>
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