Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Smoke after head replacement
From:Gregg Carlen
Date:Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:56:16 -0500

On Jan 14, 2012, at 5:51 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Let's be sure we are referring to the cylinders correctly as #1 and #3 are
> not on the same head. #1 and #2 are on the right side.  #3 and #4 are on the
> left.  #1 and #3 are front opposite. 

I pulled the passenger-side head only (this is the one with a coolant leak from the water gasket), so left side of engine would be #'s 3 & 4, right?

> For the intake valve #3 leaking is most likely due to bad valve or worn guide.

When I pulled the head, I wasn't experiencing any other symptoms other than the water gasket leaking. Could a valve/guide problem developed while I was handling the head? (I didn't remove the valves).

> or the base of the cylinders.
> Did you use a torque wrench?

Yes, used a torque wrench. My concern when reinstalling the head was the lower part of the head made contact with the water gasket/case much earlier than the top half (bottom made contact with 1/4 or so gap still open at the top side).

The other thing I can think of is when I moved ( but did not take off), the cylinders, is that I disturbed the black o-ring enough to compromise the seal.

I'm also wondering if the air getting past the intake valves is from me improperly doing the leak down test (pistons were at the top of the stroke). I didn't adjust the valves yet, so thinking that could attribute to intake valves being open too long.