I was able to remove and repair a cracked cylinder head with the engine still
in the van by following the following procedure to reinstall the liners over
the pistons:
     -using a standard ring compressor used for the air-cooled engines (the
simple band type) I compressed the rings,
     -using a length of stiff wire (coat hanger, the most commonly sacrificed
metal on earth), I fashioned a "u" shaped clip to hold the ring compressor on
the piston with the rings in the compressed state,
     -I lubricated and slid the liners onto the pistons just far enough to
engage the rings,
     -I removed the clip
     -I rotated the ring compressor until I found the only position which
allowed compressor to pass between the liner and the studs (this took much
experimentation and earnest supplication to the god of all things mechanical),
     -I then repeated this procedure with the other piston.
It is possible to accomplish this without appreciable damage to one's patience
or resort to what can be called expanded vocabulary.  It is, however, hard on
the back.

Rico
84GL