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Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:32 pm

So I'm driving to work and the water led starts blinking. Temperature is normal so I figure I need to check the coolant level later. Kind of concerned since I usually check it every other fuel stop along with oil. Never had a real issue.

Anyway pulling into the p-lot at work, I notice the temp rising quickly. I have an oil temp gauge also but it is at 180 or so. I hit my parking spot and shut her down which is met with billowing steam from the engine bay. Lower left head area is gushing steam. I have no time to fuss with it and go to work.

Later in the day I come out and check water level, it is way low. I fill the tank and notice water gushing out from the left side tin where the head mounts. I'm thinking head gasket. I milked it home and parked it in the garage.

Haven't looked at it yet but with this much water coming out I am hoping it is a water manifold or line cracked or something. Whatever the case, this motor only has 4000 miles on it so I'm pretty p.o.ed.

Not looking for any advise other than "dude that sucks" and I just need to vent.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:35 pm

dude that sucks ! been there. good luck with it.

I've had it turn out to be a head gasket a water pump and 2 coolant lines.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:22 am

Dude That Sucks!!!!
I've been there too. Its not a good feeling. The red light started blinking about a mile from my house followed quickly by a rise in coolant temp. I barely made it home. Only to find water pouring out of the left head gasket. The original head gasket had made it 103289 miles. I replaced the headseals and it went another 300 miles before it started leaking again. Thats when i threw in the towel.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:23 am

Dude, that sucks.

Happened to me a few weeks ago.
Fortunately, it was a $24 water neck. Unfortunately, it took a week to get the part.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:02 am

Dude,

It's probably the water pump (did you put on a new one?) or one of the heat exchanger coolant hoses (did it get new ones?) is ruptured or just needs to be clamped better.

Sucks anyway. Dude.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 6:11 pm

Well I guess the proof is in the puddling:

This immediately poured out as I poured water in, not running. Notice how nice and shiny the motor is...UGG UGG and DOUBLE UGG. This lump only has 3000 miles on it since AVP rebuilt it the SECOND TIME.

This thread details the poor workmanship of AVP on this particular motor which they tried to make right.

So now I will ask for advice. Obviously this motor has to come out so I can fix it. Would it be worth my effort to try to make AVP make this right again? They already fixed it once for low oil pressure (burnt valve) on customer service which I think has negated the warranty. I will try to call them this week but they are rather difficult to get a hold of and never return your calls (BTDT). Could I possibly have a small claims case here? Let's just say that I am not at all happy about AVP and this rebuild.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:27 am

My first question is: what is that red stuff that AVP used to seal the water jackets? I haven't seen that on a waterboxer before. Does anyone else use that?

If the water jacket seal is leaking so badly then your only option is to do the job AGAIN with proper sealant, new gaskets, and attention to detail. Other than the leak, is the engine running well? If it's worth fixing, then you or someone who knows waterboxers needs to carefully remove heads and reinstall new gaskets, with a keen eye toward figuring out what went wrong. It might just be that the red stuff is not meant as a water jacket sealer, or maybe there's something else wrong with the cylinder head installation (improper torque on the head bolts, torqued down with head at a bad angle, torn or damaged water jacket gasket, etc, etc?)

Sure you have a small claims case, but what will you get out of it? The samba's not the place to look for legal advice. Having said that, I'll throw out a couple of ideas. Check out the maximum amount you can sue for in small claims court where you live. If you win your case AVP won't magically give you a new engine. Instead you'll have a judgment against them that you have to enforce (usually means you hire the shreriff to take money from them). You also have to figure out if you sue them for the cost of a new engine and mechanical work and lost time, or just sue for the work you've had done since purchasing the engine. Go to the library for a Nolo Press book on small claims court. And if you have any attorney friends or aquaintences ask them about contract law and the implied warranty of fitness as they relate to your purchase.

I like the WBX when it's built as it should be. If yours makes good compression now and runs well other than the leak you should fix it. On the other hand if you decide you need a modern engine I would suggest a bostig zetec. I helped a friend install one and it's a pleasure to drive, totally smooth and modern, revs up past 7k (that's in the fuel gauge on your vanagon tachometer) and if anything goes wrong with it you can get a very low-mile replacement engine anywhere for $400. Oh yeah, and bostig customer service is top-notch, no excuses, the guys are available all the time and make everything right. The whole bostig conversion will cost you about $5k with you doing the work on your own.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:23 am

The orange stuff looks like the new Dirko; a big fat tube of it comes in the Elring gasket sets as of this year. The old black Dirko, and the black Reinzosil, are both silicone-based sealants, but had no silicone odor. This new stuff smells just like Permatex, sharp strong silicone vapors. I haven't used it yet on a water jacket gasket and I probably never will. The Reinzosil has proven very dependable there and in all kinds of other locations so I'm sticking with that, myself. This isn't any kind of qualified judgement I'm offering on the new Dirko, I'm just saying I know what works for me and I'm sticking with that, but the new orange Dirko comes wth the Elring sets and that's probably what AVP is using since it's included so it's a cost-cutter.

My old AVP rebuild leaked around the back of the channel gasket. It had been installed dry there as recommended by VW, but I always use sealant on both sides of the channel seal since discovering that. By the look of it AVP may have begun doing that, too, but it's hard to be sure from the photos.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:32 pm

:?: Tencent, have you used "The Right Stuff" as a head sealant? If so, how has it worked?

Mon Nov 24, 2008 5:28 pm

funagon wrote:
Sure you have a small claims case, but what will you get out of it? The samba's not the place to look for legal advice. Having said that, I'll throw out a couple of ideas. Check out the maximum amount you can sue for in small claims court where you live. If you win your case AVP won't magically give you a new engine. Instead you'll have a judgment against them that you have to enforce (usually means you hire the shreriff to take money from them). You also have to figure out if you sue them for the cost of a new engine and mechanical work and lost time, or just sue for the work you've had done since purchasing the engine. Go to the library for a Nolo Press book on small claims court. And if you have any attorney friends or aquaintences ask them about contract law and the implied warranty of fitness as they relate to your purchase.

you are probably right with this assessment but it realy sucks when things like this happen to you. I mean, you pony up hard earned money for a new engine or a rebuilt engine and the last thing you want to do is to deal with engine problems after a few thousand miles, and then pony up more hard earned money to fix something that was supposed to be taken care and paid for already. it suck, rblake3, sorry to hear you have to go though this.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:48 pm

Look on the bright side: at least the engine is clean to work on.

ccisco wrote: :?: Tencent, have you used "The Right Stuff" as a head sealant? If so, how has it worked?

No.

Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:03 pm

tencentlife wrote: The Reinzosil has proven very dependable there and in all kinds of other locations so I'm sticking with that, myself.

Reinzosil is a very good product. But for the outer water jacket gasket, i personally prefer "The Right Stuff".

Just for fun Tenc, take an old head, use both (or more like i did) product with a good used or new gasket and soak it into coolant for a month or 2.

I also us it on Subaru oil pan, no gasket. Amazing product. 100% success rate.

Cheers, Ben