What Craig said.

Jim

On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 8:57 PM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote:
> Regarding your conundrum,
> If your engine only has 40K on it, I wouldn't have too much concerns about
> the low end and thus would JUST fix the heads. I also would assume there is
> little to no corrosion and it can be fixed properly with JB weld as is well
> documented and simple. I would have the heads rebuilt by a machinist to have
> the valves seated, but i strongly doubt they even need to be replaced....
> just seated.
> The problem with these WBX vans is that a "simple" head gasket job can
> easily run $2-3K after you get new heads, new exhaust, and all the other
> things the mechanic suggests you replace "while you're in there". It sucks.
> "Porting" is the act of cleaning up or expanding the channels through the
> head that the air/fuel mix moves through. By removing tiny burs and what
> not, the theory is that the engine breathes more and you thus get more
> power, more economy, essentially just more efficiency. While this can make a
> difference on some engines, I wouldn't hesitate to say that it won't do
> ANYTHING noticeable to a WBX, at least not with stock valves. One thing that
> rebuilders do sometimes to gain efficiency is replace the valves with bigger
> valves, this can allow the system to breath more easily and this combined
> with some porting and the next step up in removing and perfecting the intake
> tract which involves getting it so perfect it's "polished", may gain
> efficiency. I Strongly doubt that most mechanics are capable of installing
> bigger valves "properly". Very few rebuilders do this, at least do this
> right. �Without it, I strongly doubt you'll notice anything from some
> porting, as the intake tracks in every WBX engine i've ever pulled apart
> have been well cast.
>
> My experience with the Vanagon Community is that if you look around your
> area (especially being as you live in an area heavily populated with
> Vanagons), you can likely find a person or group of people that may be
> willing to help you or do it for the same or less cost than a mechanic, and
> probably do a more thorough job as well. If you look hard enough, I bet
> you'll find good souls in your region, though again..... your mileage may
> vary.
>
> I think everyone's mileage may vary, but in my mind no WBX will benefit from
> porting alone, and there are about 4 or 5 rebuilders I'd trust to install
> bigger valves, and only those people.
> Just my thoughts.
>
> -Craig
> '85GL turned WESTY
> BOSTIG in the back
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 7:10 PM, Sheilah Rogers <sheilah@sheilah.org> wrote:
>
>> Curious timing, this post. Thank you for posting an update. It's so great
>> (as a newbie to this list) to be voraciously reading and consuming as much
>> as I can on most of these subjects, especially when one of them is happening
>> to me right now!
>>
>> My mechanic just told me that both valves in cylinder 3 are leaking (by
>> ~20%). I bought a factor rebuild in 1999, just a mere 40k miles ago. Yes,
>> I'm bummed.
>>
>> I found this out after asking the mechanic to run a compression test only
>> because my dad thought it'd give me peace of mind since I was afraid to plop
>> down ~$3k for an unrelated work order (which includes some other Must-Do
>> fixes now). SOOO now, here I am, looking at $3k plus valve work. You might
>> say my head is spinning a bit.
>>
>> Thanks for posting the follow-up to your own, Bryan. i'm going to go search
>> the archives for your prior thread on the subject. If you care to give me
>> anything that might help me find your previous discussions, eg: Month / Year
>> that this discussion took place, I would be appreciative.
>>
>>
>> In case anyone's interested, here's the current plan/approach:
>>
>> 0/ Decide if all this money is worth the cost and love I have for Vanna.
>> Figure out how to finance it. I guess this last sentence highlights my
>> tendency...
>>
>> 1/ Mechanic doubts the heads are corroded because there's no visible
>> gunk/coolant and they're so "new". So hopefully, he can bypass new heads. If
>> the heads are corroded... well, perhaps I'll save that thought if new
>> information necessitates it.
>>
>> 2/ He will take apart the old heads (I'm assuming there are only two) and
>> port/seal both of them. I hope this is what will prevent losing (another)
>> engine, or at least valve, for awhile.
>>
>> 3/ He offers something called Porting at two levels: the better Porting
>> also involves some Polishing ~> yields better mileage and power. I need to
>> figure out whether to do one or the other (or not).
>>
>> 4/ Though I've never overheated my engine that I know of (at least not on
>> this rebuilt engine), I will become even more scrupulous about changing my
>> oil every 3k miles or slightly less often if it's winter (non-synthetic, no
>> Penzoil, yes to Castrol 20/50) - I'm in San Francisco, no snow, not so much
>> freezing temps here. In all fairness, I believe I've been pretty good about
>> oil changes anyways.
>>
>> 5/ I will search the archives to find anything and everything I can about
>> valve, heads, and porting.
>>
>> 6/ I will eat copious amounts of chocolate and pretend all this work and $
>> is Okay. I will also feel like a traitor while I search online for Chinooks
>> for sale. Oh wait, I did that last part yesterday.
>>
>> 7/ I'm considering a local weekend class I heard about that teaches fools
>> (and I use that term lovingly) like me a bit more about the vehicles they
>> drive.
>>
>>
>> s.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jan 21, 2010, at 2:53 PM, B Feddish wrote:
>>
>> > If you missed our last episode, here is review. I bought a 1.9 from Chris
>> at
>> > JordanVW about 18 months ago for my mechanic to rebuild for my '83 wc
>> Westy.
>> > Why did I buy a new core when I already had one? Because my mechanic is
>> so
>> > slow that I knew he would take forever to rebuild it and I did not want
>> my
>> > van rotting in front of his shop with the engine out. �I also bought some
>> > good slightly used AMC heads from Ken at VanAgain. �My mechanic had a
>> heart
>> > attack right after getting the engine apart and is out of commission for
>> > awhile. I was going to head down to Annapolis to get an inexpesive
>> rebuild
>> > after that and posted such plans with some questions to the list. I got a
>> > barrage of emails with all kinds of suggestions, etc. �Jim Arnott
>> forwarded
>> > my email to Stan at Boston Engine (who I met this past summer at a RI
>> > campout) and forwarded it to Gary (From Boston Bob's) at Suburban Engine.
>> > Lots of emails went back and forth then after he agreed to rebuild a 1.9
>> I
>> > mailed it up to him in 3 big boxes. �My fingers were crossed as he said
>> the
>> > case needed to be able to take a new set of bearings but it turned out
>> OK.
>> > I got squeamish about having the original valves on the AMC and Gary put
>> on
>> > some "better breathing" German ones. I don't to kick off that debate
>> again,
>> > it was just cheap insurance.
>> >
>> > OK, now I have an engine sitting up in Cambridge, MA that Gary probably
>> > wants out of his shop. I'm going to have to plan a trip to go get it. �My
>> > wife wants to come so we'll probably spend more on a mini vacation then
>> if I
>> > just had him ship it here. �sigh... OK, how am I going to get this engine
>> in
>> > the back of my van? �I have several options. One is a current list member
>> > here was so adamant about me not getting a cheap rebuild that he said
>> he'd
>> > come to my house and put a good one in for free. �He may regret offering
>> > that as I may take him up on it. :) I'd help or course. The other option
>> is
>> > me putting it in by myself. �That could be difficult. �I guess what I
>> would
>> > like to know is if there are any shops within say 75 miles that could put
>> it
>> > in at a reasonable price? �None near me will do it. �I'm in the western
>> > suburbs of Philadelphia. What are the odds that Benny Boy is traveling
>> south
>> > this month and is dying to do a 1.9 R&R? :) :)
>> >
>> > I appreciated all the rebuild ideas everyone like "Get a 2.1", "Do a
>> > Subaru", etc. but you have to remember I already bought a 1.9 core, I was
>> > not going to go spend another $400 on another core. And why did I do
>> another
>> > WBX? Because it is the least expensive route at the time and my current
>> one,
>> > rebuilt in a local garage, lasted 12 years and always got me where I
>> wanted
>> > to go.
>> >
>> > I will have running 1.9 that needs a water pump and head gasket leak fix
>> for
>> > sale shortly for cheap...
>> >
>> > I also will have the 2.1 core that I got from from Ron this past summer.
>> > It's down to the case (but has issues) and I'll be offering that free in
>> a
>> > separate thread.
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> > Bryan
>>
>