nice to see your comments.
I was going to mention 'workmanship' .....i.e. 'how and how carefully
the parts are installed."

I would even say ..Your Good Results come 70 % from good solid careful
Workmanship,
and only 30 % from what parts are used .
- or some similar proportion ..it's the Workmanship that's the most
important part .

I don't think I fuss over that 'seam pointing up' detail anymore. Rarely
a problem with leaking tubes and seals.

On 6/27/2016 7:17 PM, den jolliffe wrote:
> I'm totally with you on OE parts being re-used on a rebuild if they
> are clean and non wear related...
>
> These tubes are stainless originally..sure they have a seam, and must
> be positioned with the seam up...I can't count how many leaking tubes
> I have had to replace over the years with the seam facing down...
>
> Same goes with rings.."my engine burns oil"...I get it apart and the
> oil scraper is facing down on 3 of the 4 cylinders and the other rings
> aren't positioned correctly either...no wonder it burns oil...when did
> you change the oil last "I do it once a year, I only drive it in the
> summer"...
>
> OK, I'm on a rant today...poor quality assembly makes me pi$$y, I must
> be getting old...LOL
>
> Den.
>
>
> On Monday, June 27, 2016 7:19 PM, Scott - IMAP
> <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
>
>
>
>     fwiw,
>     I can't get too into this theory on the metal of the tubes not being
>     malable anymore or whatever was said in the vein.
>
>     I've used hundreds and hundreds of those push rod tubes over on VW
>     oppssed engines..
>     and don't think I've ever had a problem with the tube itself .
>       I don't re-use beat up ones of course ..
>     and I'm real careful about the angle they are at on the ends where the
>     seals go., like rotate the tubes before head is fully tightened down.
>
>     I use my fav Permatex High Tack gasket sealer on both sides of the
>     seals.
>
>     I have stretched the tubes much too far a few times ...and even that
>     doesn't cut or squish the seals.
>
>     oh the spring loaded ones ...I only use those if I have to. They can
>     leak at the sliding junction ..
>     then I have to goop them up there to not leak. They are for 'repair'
>     only...like to replace a tube without removing a head.
>
>     Personally ..I far more trust 'good ol' good used tubes' then I might
>     new ones. Very strong chance new ones are not made as well as ones
>     made
>     say 20 yrs ago.
>
>     lol..I trust 'good used parts' a lot more than new ones sometimes.
>     'All New' in my opion is just asking for issues.
>     I'll take 'good serviceable original type parts' ( on non-wear items )
>     any time.
>
>     I've noticed over thousands of jobs ..
>     they don't really remember too much about what it cost for the
>     repair ..
>     what they notice FOR SURE is when the repair doesn't last or work out.
>
>     Seriously ..it's been studied even ...'cost' per se, is not the top
>     priority for most customers..
>     a few tight wad types, sure ..
>     but for 'normal good people' ...the long lasting nature of the
>     repair is
>     By Far their Main Concern,
>     not the initial dollar cost.
>
>     and if anyone ever tries to talk ya into a cheap repair, or using
>     cheap
>     parts, or worst of all Their Cheap Parts...
>     good bye !
>     Don't need that kind o' aggravation at all !
>
>     Scott
>
>
>     On 6/22/2016 11:04 AM, kenneth wilford (Van-Again) wrote:
>     > That sounds like a reasonable explanation.  I can see how they
>     would get
>     > work hardened when they are restretched and we did reuse
>     > good used ones on this rebuild because it was a few years ago
>     and there
>     > were no new tubes available at the time.  Now I can get them
>     again fairly
>     > cheaply so I would use new no matter what.  I did just this on a
>     cylinder
>     > head replacement job we just did.  I hate when reusing old parts
>     comes back
>     > to bite you in the butt.  Usually when you are doing it to save the
>     > customer some money too.
>     >
>     > Ken
>     >
>     > On Wed, Jun 22, 2016 at 12:57 PM, Stuart MacMillan
>     <stuartmacm@gmail.com <mailto:stuartmacm@gmail.com>>
>     > wrote:
>     >
>     >> Wow, that's an odd one.  I have to contribute my 2 cents worth
>     on this
>     >> just for fun.  I'll bet the old pushrod tubes are the problem,
>     not the
>     >> seals.  They may get less malleable as they  age, and after
>     stretching them
>     >> for reuse they may not have the flexibility they once had, and
>     that leads
>     >> to too much pressure on the seals.
>     >>
>     >> I assume you'll replace these tubes with spring loaded ones,
>     and I doubt
>     >> you will have any problems with them.  You may want to replace
>     the pushrod
>     >> tubes with new ones on all your rebuilds now.
>     >>
>     >> Stuart
>     >>
>     >> -----Original Message-----
>     >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
>     <mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>] On Behalf
>     >> Of kenneth wilford (Van-Again)
>     >> Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 9:03 AM
>     >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>     >> Subject: Problem with push rod tube seals?
>     >>
>     >> So I have been using the Victor Reinz and or the Erling
>     complete engine set
>     >> for years and years to on rebuild engines and cylinder head
>     jobs.  We have
>     >> done so many over the years with no real issues.  However the
>     last two
>     >> engines we rebuilt started having problems with oil leaks from
>     the push rod
>     >> tube area not long after we rebuilt the engine (probably 2000 miles
>     >> range).  I just had one of the customers in here this morning
>     and it seems
>     >> like an issue with the push rod tube seal itself.  The small
>     end ones
>     >> seemed to be expanding and trying to squish out around where
>     they seal to
>     >> the interior of the engine under the valve cover.  One was so
>     bad that it
>     >> cut in half and the other two on the opposite side of the
>     engine were just
>     >> starting to emerge and do the same kind of thing.  Not all of
>     the seals
>     >> were doing this, the large end seals which are made of the same
>     material
>     >> were fine and most of the other small seals seemed to be fine.
>     Anyone else
>     >> have a similar issue lately?  I am just wondering if it is an
>     isolated
>     >> problem or something I should call my supplier about?  I think
>     the kits we
>     >> have used lately have all been the Victor Reinz ones if that
>     helps out.
>     >>
>     >> --
>     >> Thanks,
>     >> Ken Wilford
>     >> John 3:16
>     >> www.vanagain.com
>     >>
>     >
>     >
>     > --
>     > Thanks,
>     > Ken Wilford
>     > John 3:16
>     > www.vanagain.com
>
>