85 westy leaky head gasket

[seanj]

thinking about picking up an 85 westy that leaks a few drops of coolant of coolant only when it's cold outside and the van has been sitting. other than that the engine has be rebuilt about 35k miles ago and runs strong. no rust no dents all camping goodies work fine, canvas is good, interior is good. seems to be a nice van all around except for the slight coolant leak. i've owned several veedubs in the past, mainly aircooled westies so i need to know how big of a deal this is and what else to look for. thanks

[r39o]

Find out about the magic Subaru blue leak sealer in a bottle.
Read my signature about SEARCHing....
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[Terry Kay]

There is no miracle in a bottle---
With any sealer you take a chance of plugging up two heater core's, plus pluging up what may be left open in an antique, original radiator.

Replacing the head seal would be the right way to go, and if you use GM gasket adhesive ( pt.# 1234 6141 ) on that new head seal, it'll never leak again.

Do the job once--do it right.
_________________
T.K.

[Cat and Walter]

[r39o]

[Terry Kay]

Honest Injun.

My best buddy is the master mechanic at Roger's Chevrolet in Rantoul IL.

He turned me onto the gasket adhesive 10 years ago--

All of the newer GM engines have no gaskets---none.

They used this product to replace them all.

I've used it on 35 or better head gasket jobs, and haven't had one come back.

It works well--Much better than the VW issue head seal sealer.
_________________
T.K.

[Terry Kay]

<<is truly just a minor leak that happens when it is cold, something other than a total head job on an old (anemic even when new) 1.9 may do the trick.>>

The key words here were " when It gets cold"
You'll find out that when an aluminum water cooled VW flat 4 starts dripping from the head area, when it gets cold outside, your dealing with contraction of the aluminum.
And if the water jacket seal is weak or poor, it's gonna leak at that area.

Investigating the Subaru coolant system sealer is suggesting me to use it if you don't want to do the job right in the first place.

If you wern't thinking about using it--why suggest looking at it?

Whatever--

Wait for the genie in the bottle to appear--she may offer a short term miracle on them head seal's, and in the interm plug up the heater core's and radiator.

Good idea.
_________________
T.K.

[r39o]

[Terry Kay]

<<Over the decades I have learned to consider new ways of dealing with things.Another is to refresh the coolant in the Vanagon every year or so with a phosphate free one.>>
Now this is the most intellegent thing I've seen posted on this forum in a long time.
And if you change the coolant regardless what flavor it's in ( the VW phosphate free goo is good for the tree hugger's --that's all--if you don't change it on a regular basis , it'll do the same electroletical damage to aluminum as the green ethyelene glycol coolant)
The head seals and the cooling sytem components will last forever.

How many folks actually take the time & energy to do this?
Not too many.

And this is exactly why the heads get pitted and the seals fail on a regular basis.

<<Also, I listen to what others have to say about a particular specific thing. One needs then to make up ones own mind about a particular thing or solution.>>

Sure--why not?

And much like the paid advertising on the boob tube--thousands of folks use that wax that you can light on fire on the hood of your vehicle--and not damage the paint.
Must be good stuff.

It said so on the internet too---

Thousands of folks gave live testimonies on the benifits of Prolong & Extend oil treatment's in their engines oil.

Hell, Al Unser Jr. told me on the TV that I could drain my oil and take my car out for hot laps without causing any damage to my engine--he's a pretty smart guy--he must be telling the truth.
I gotta get me some of that stuff.

Did you know that almost every item in the Warshawsky's ( aka JC Whitney ) catalog , be it a curb feeler's , to the dancing Hula Girls on your dash board will give you 15% better fuel economy?

They must be telling the truth--it's a national publihed catalog--and they most certainly woud lie about anything like this--
I wonder what the blue dot's for my tail lights will give me for extended fuel mileage?

So, read all the hype you can--especially from the manufacture of the product--they'll tell you the straight and narrow truth about the Blue coolant sealer.

What they won't tell ya is what else is going to get sealed up solid besides the head gasket's--

I'm telling you that the right way to do the job is to tear the heads off and replace the gaskets--no quick fix, miracle in ia can, or bottle, be it green, blue, pink, silver, or gold with or without the genie is going to get the job done right, without screwing somnething else up.

And the mfg. isn't going to tell you the whole story--

Read on--get loaded up with all kinds of propaganda & info---
That's good.

Then get out there and do the job right the first time.

There is no pot of gold at the end the rainbow.
_________________
T.K.

[seanj]

use the g.m. sealer on each side of the gasket?

[Terry Kay]

You can if you want--

I use it only on the head sealing side of the gasket.

Makes no if you use it on both sides.

You can also use the GM stuff on the top side of the valve cover gaskets for a leak free valve cover's.

It's oil proof as well as coolant proof.
_________________
T.K.

[alnvilma]

I had the same issue on the same age rebuild and the Suby "Genie in the bottle" worked great! I agree to do the job right and maintain it correctly but this short term fix works w/o clooging things up. It is a $3.00 fix that will buy you many happy miles.

[hoggs vw repair]

terry k is right on track . i have done a lot of waterboxer head replacements and have used a good grade of rtv sealer instead of the vw black goop that costs 25 bucks a tube . i havent had any problems . the magic fix in a bottle will only plug the rad and heater cores . the best way is to do the job right in the first place . its to expensive to pay twice .

[Terry Kay]

And this is the exact point I was trying to make.

Let me tell you guys--I am goofier than a 3 dollar bill, and
I'm up for a quick legitimate fix if it's a good one.

I've been down this sealer road many times--and screwed up more than one radiator & heater core--and all not just VW's either.

If the truck / car was junk and just a 50 dollar work beater--who care's ?--

I agree.
Drop the blue sealer,or the Bars' Leak into it--whatever.

BUT---
If you have one iota of feelings for the Van--or it is a nice unit--just has a weak head gasket--
DO NOT DROP THE MIRACLE IN THE BOTTLE IN THE COOLING SYSTEM.

You'll short cut the heater core's and radiator's ( what's left of it ) life down to nothing.

You'll be here asking all kinds of questions next summer--"Why is My engine running hot"
You will screw up the radiator & heater cores--not one doubt in my mind.

Then you'll be spending more of them frugal bucks.


As ole Paul Harvey sez--
"And Now You Know The Rest Of The Story"--: )

Happy Head Gaskets---
_________________
T.K.

[rhythmslave]

Having had to drop the engines for the last 15 some odd aircolled VW's I have grown to know intimately over the years... just to do head related stuff, I was just pleasantly surprised to find that the 84 Vanagon waterboxer did not require such labors. I didn't even have to remove the exhaust as I pulled the exhaust studs (although this did make it a bit dicey to line the headers back up...) While it was off I did my first valve job (had a broken exhaust valve) and am embarrased at how much I have paid for that service over the years. I used no special goop, but the two tubes that came with the gasket set, and have no problems and a smooth running engine once again!

Woo Hoo Vasserboxers!!!!

no garage... done on the side of the road.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


BUT---
If you have one iota of feelings for the Van--or it is a nice unit--just has a weak head gasket--
DO NOT DROP THE MIRACLE IN THE BOTTLE IN THE COOLING SYSTEM.

You'll short cut the heater core's and radiator's ( what's left of it ) life down to nothing.

You'll be here asking all kinds of questions next summer--"Why is My engine running hot"
You will screw up the radiator & heater cores--not one doubt in my mind.

Then you'll be spending more of them frugal bucks.

[msinabottle]

You guys all have me frightened enough to suggest bone rattles and dancing in a mask around the rear hatch.

Welcome, rhythmslave!

Best!

[rhythmslave]