I agree with this.  Always split the case.  I got a '79 vanagon type motor out 
of a wreck and yes it ran fine with good compression on all cylinders.  I 
replaced the seals on everything including the pushrod tubes and happened to 

look at the cam lobes through the ports.  The cam was totally gone.  Since these 
items are case hardened they have a distinctive erosion (yes I mean 
erosion) pattern once they are into the soft core.  I shelved it in favour of 
another 1700 type IV core that was in better condition and could be rebuilt more 
cheaply.

Andy Burczyk

> 
> > My Uncle bought a 76 westy that just had a new top end job.  It ran great 
> > for a few thousand miles and then the valves began to tighten.  They 
> > would retighten a couple of hundred miles after adjustment.  The engine 
> > finally gave up when #3 piston exploded.  He is rebuilding the engine now, 
> > and the shop that checked the heads said they showed signs of over heating.
> > Does anyone have/had the same problem, or know what the cause might have 
> > been?  The engine was not neglected oil wise.
> 
> A friend of mine bought a '76 with a newly "rebuilt" engine, which
> proceeded to blow up after a few hundred miles. The idiot had only
> replaced heads, cylinders, etc, and not even split the case! (This being
> a top-end rebuild) In my opinion, such a rebuild is pretty much
> worthless, as who knows what condition the crank, bearings, and case
> itself are in in there. For only a couple hundred more dollars, you can split 
the
> case, and have EVERYTHING re-machined and new bearings put in. To not do
> so, from what I have seen, is only a very short-term, and expensive solution.
> YMMV
> IMHO
> Richard
>