Thanks Alastair for the list.  Much appreciated.  I realize the slippery
slope.  Why not take the whole thing out and clean fix/it all...  I've also
been following this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9r_aJ0Mp50 - who
is also doing this job right now and videoing it - he is still not done -
but has just finished one side (in about 2 months! - working
evening/weekends).  Your JB weld approach to the pitting is a joy compared
to what he went through sanding it down.  Anyway, it is a good balance to
watch a mortal do it.  (actually a mortal who is likely more competent than
me)

I know nothing about valve adjustment yet.  I had work done last year and
the mechanic put 'racing' lash caps on the valves and adjusted them - with
one to 0 lash.  My limited knowledge indicates that could mean they are
well worn and need replacing.  I would like to read/understand more about
valve adjustment - and clearly that would be a good time to check it.

I have my fuel line kit ready to go in.  I also believe fuel tank job is in
my future as well - I sometimes smell fuel if I fill the tank  - so I don't
- and drive half full.  And coolant pipes - I should replace the long metal
ones - but I'm considering using the more common (and easier to install?)
flexible hose.

Ken - I would love to support you.  I enjoy reading your posts and have
learned and laughed while watching your videos.  I'm still working up my
bottle for this job - and deciding if I dare risk a camping trip before I
take the engine apart for the summer.  One comment (meant to be helpful) -
both your site and busdepot are hard to search for via google and require
quite a few steps to nagivate/search.  I actually took the time to find the
link on busdepot as Ron also posts on here - but if I had not cared at all,
I would have posted the first link google threw at me.  Vanagain actually
shows up #4 (only gowesty is before you) in a search for "vanagon engine
gasket kit" - and #1 if you search "buy vanagon head gasket kit" but there
is no link to buy the part from you on that page (though you do mention it
mid-paragraph).  It is true people want a good price on a part, but they
are also lazy (or rather stop when they find something that fits the bill).
  Anyway, I might just be priming you with an offer to work on your website
if you fly up here and fix my head gaskets! ;)   But seriously, if you are
interested, I'd be happy to point you toward some resources to fix some of
these issues - but this is probably best done off-list.

Tom

On Wed, May 22, 2013 at 8:45 AM, kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <
kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:

> Just to let folks know, anyone who buys their engine gasket set or heads
> or both from me, I have a step by step head gasket install write up that I
> send along with the heads.  This is written for the do-it-yourselfer and it
> is from my 16 years of experience of doing this job over and over, learning
> all of the pitfalls and tricks.  I have never published this info online, I
> reserve it for customers who buy their parts for this job from me.  I even
> have a video I am working on at the moment but I will probably reserve for
> customers as well.
>
> I leave it to you folks.  I want to share with everyone for free and I try
> to do that as much as I can, but then people don't donate or buy parts from
> me.  They watch the video or read the info and then find the stuff from the
> cheapest place they can.  They might save fifty bucks or so but they save
> hundreds of dollars using my info to do the job themselves and doing it
> right the first time using my help.  Isn't it worth an extra $50 on the
> price of parts just so I can still be here next year, making more videos?
> If it isn't I understand.  However you need to understand that eventually
> that will mean that people like me will have no choice but to move on to
> other things so they can feed their families.  I hate to be a downer, but
> that is where all of the Vanagon specific vendors are right now.  The vote
> of whether we are here five years from now or not is up to you folks.
>
> Sincerely,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
>
> On Wed, May 22, 2013 at 9:51 AM, Tom Carchrae <tom@carchrae.net> wrote:
>
>> Thank you so much Alistair!  You say 'quick and dirty' - but that looks
>> pretty clean to me.
>>
>> I am still looking with fear at my van and have not yet had the guts to
>> pull the heads off.  I'm going to order a gasket set sometime soon.  Aside
>> from JB weld, the gasket set ( http://www.busdepot.com/025198009b ) - is
>> there anything else good to have on hand?
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>
>> On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 10:43 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > Marble-ous!
>> >
>> > I know.   < groan >
>> >
>> > I bet this job will hold up longer than you need.
>> >
>> > Nice to see the detail in the images!
>> >
>> > Neil.
>> >
>> > On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 8:21 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>> >
>> > > I've just started on the chore of swapping in a couple of heads on my
>> > WBX to get, I hope, one more year out of my engine to give me time to
>> get a
>> > Subie 2.5 up to scratch. Make no mistake, I'm not doing a proper job,
>> just
>> > a "buy me some time job".
>> > >
>> > > Anyway, I've posted some pics of the start of this here:
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> http://shufti.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/vanagon-quick-and-dirty-head-reconditioning/
>> > >
>> > > alistair
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Neil n
>> >
>> > Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca
>> >
>> > '88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p
>> >
>> > '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>> >
>> > Vanagon VAG Gas inline-VR Engine Swap Group:
>> >
>> > http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej
>> >
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>