Steven,

I purchased new heads when mine went.  I compression is good that is all I
would do.

Charles Michaux

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> From: Steven X. Schwenk <sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET>
> To: Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU
> Subject: head gasket death...
> Date: Sunday, October 19, 1997 1:34 AM
>
> I got home and noticed the unmistakable smell of hot antifreeze back by
> the engine when i climbed out of my 89 syncro westy this evening.  I
> smelled it before, but i thought it was coming from my leaky rear heater
> core....but i changed the core last night....could it be...dare i crawl
> under there to check... i did, and although the engine was cold and i
> did not have time to start it...the alumnium around the head gasket...on
> both heads...is stained and there is evidence of some corrision...this,
> together with the smell and the 89,000 on the odometer do not bode well.
>
> my question:  assuming the heads are bad (what, tis the season for head
> failures...re the other recent lists), and given the 90,000 miles on the
> current engine, should i replace the heads or the entire engine...?
> from what i've read, it sounds like a good rebuilt is about twice the
> cost of new heads, but, given my current mileage, a rebuild should last
> at lest twice as long as new heads without a rebuild, assuming the
> engine with new heads is good until about 150,000 (compression is good,
> no oil consumption).
>
> has anyone been through this before who can give me a little guidance?