>>
>>anybody know for sure if the bmw's and audi's and mercedes and saab's and
>>volvo's have had this same rash of gasket problems?? i only know that Mercedes
>>was very very very strongly against using anything but their own phosphate-
>>free coolant (properly co$tly, thank you very much!). overly caustious?
>>they also felt the same way about all replacement parts. it's a wonder they
>>didn't have their own brand of gasoline! ;)
>>
>>joel
>>
>>

My volvo 264 is a 6 cylinder wasserbox engine too. The head/block is all
aluminum like vanagon except it's a V6. The volvo engine uses a more
conventional head gasket but with an aluminum rim at the top of each
cylinder. This rim is very thick, as thick as the thickness of a conventional
head gasket. It is about 2 to 3 mm wide. I think it is not likely to have
the kind of problem vangon's gasket is suffering. The head is torgued
to about 70 to 80 ft-lbs. 

David Kao