Tom,

Call Johnsons (since you're local to me) and take the heads to whoever
they recommend to test them. If the heads check out OK, then you only
need a head gasket kit. I've done it several times. Almost no need to
have them machined. Johnson's has the head gasket set you will need.

Not that bad a job. Takes a weekend.

Jim

On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 9:09 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> Dave, they are entirely fixable.
> I can't even count how many waterboxer heads I've done.
>
> 'new heads' is not 'the solution' necessarily .......
> but they do need to be VW brand good heads, with no cracks between the valve
> seats, a decent rubber gasket surface, good exhaust valves, good guides, and
> a proper valve job, along with very careful workmanship .......
> And they can work out just fine.
>
> if there is so much worry, just do the side that seems the worst, and see
> how that goes.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 12:37 PM
> Subject: Re: head gaskets
>
>
>> Well, finding the history of the rebuild might be difficult. �As I
>> mentioned, the paperwork I have shows a longblock, does not show source.
>> This thing only started leaking when cold weather arrived. �Some seem to
>> think that is simply a chronic state with waterboxers, and they
>> evidently just let it go. �I fear finding myself out in the back of
>> nowhere, and the seals let go and I lose the coolant. �But from what you
>> say, I might not have any better luck if I do the seals, or even if I
>> get new heads. �So, what should be done with such a beast? �David
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 9:30 AM, B Feddish wrote:
>>
>>> My apology if I missed that. Leaky heads at only 30K eh? �I think the
>>> experts need to chime in here. You need to find out "why" they are
>>> leaking
>>> at only 30K. Was it a crappy rebuild, did the engine overheat, etc.
>>> Maybe it
>>> was just a bad seal and a new gasket will fix it for years. These
>>> might only
>>> be questions to answer once the heads were off or maybe possibly
>>> finding the
>>> history of the rebuild. Was it just a ring job and new gaskets or a
>>> complete
>>> rebuild with new pistons, heads, etc.
>>>
>>> Bryan
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: mcneely4@cox.net [mailto:mcneely4@cox.net] Sent: Thursday,
>>> December 17, 2009 10:14 AM
>>> To: bfeddish@netreach.net
>>> Cc: mcneely4@COX.NET; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: RE: head gaskets
>>>
>>> Well, I did say that the engine only has 30K miles on a rebuild,
>>> according
>>> to paperwork I got when I bought the beast last spring. �I have no
>>> idea
>>> where the rebuild came from (paperwork just states under "parts" that
>>> a
>>> "longblock engine replacement" was a part of the work done).
>>>
>>> So, you are saying either new heads or mill these, at minimum?
>>> thanks, Dave
>>> Mc
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 8:44 AM, B Feddish wrote:
>>>
>>>> You haven't mentioned how many miles were on this motor, that may
>>>> factor in
>>>> as to what you want to do. �Taking the heads off is a big job whether
>>>> you do
>>>> it or somebody else does it. If I were to go that far there is no way
>>>> I'd
>>>> just slap a new rubber gasket and some sealant in there and put it
>>>> all back
>>>> together. This is of course if there are allot of miles on the
>>>> engine. I
>>>> would at least have the heads done while they were out our better yet
>>>> put on
>>>> some new ones. Yeah, the heads are expensive but so is taking them
>>>> off in
>>>> terms of time. �Then again if you are budget conscious and you are
>>>> going to
>>>> do the job yourself then at least do the JB Weld thingy with the
>>>> heads while
>>>> they are out.
>>>>
>>>> Bryan
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>>>> Behalf Of
>>>> Dave Mcneely
>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 9:22 AM
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Re: head gaskets
>>>>
>>>> So, I should do the head gaskets, or not? �It's very expensive, but I
>>>> want a
>>>> reliable van (or no van at all). �Thanks, Dave Mc
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 6:48 PM, mark drillock wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> This is a typical failure mode. Leaks in cold weather, stops when
>>>>> warmed up, leaks worse as temps drop. May go on this way for years
>>>>> depending on you and it. Mine has. On more than one van.
>>>>>
>>>>> Mark
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Dave Mcneely wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, I've done about everything I thought I should to make my '91
>>>>>> camper as reliable as it could be, including lots of cooling system
>>>>>> fixes.
>>>>>> Just replaced all coolant hoses, since so many think that should be
>>>>>> done.
>>>>>> .......
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Head gaskets are leaking. The question: I find it difficult to
>>>>>> think the gaskets just all of a sudden turned loose (I'd even
>>>>>> removed the tins to look for evidence of leaks when I did the
>>>>>> hoses, and saw none).
>>>>>> Could it be that the heads and or gaskets were already loose or
>>>>>> whatever, and the cold weather made them looser and so they leak?
>>>>>> If I run the engine a little while, the leaks dry up, suggesting to
>>>>>> me that temperature plays a role -- expansion, contraction ..... .
>>>>>> So, could the heads be sealed better even with the temperature
>>>>>> difference between normal fall temps and the quite cold temps we've
>>>>>> had lately? I'm just trying to understand why this suddenly showed
>>>>>> up, and wonder if it being coincident with the cold weather is more
>>>>>> than a coincidence.
>