Head Gasket job — exhaust bolts completely rusted

[Russpauly]

Hey Samba!

First post, first Van and need some advice on removing the exhaust. I have an ‘88 watercooled NonAC Vanagon that started to leak coolant from both heads after I’d drive it, park it and let the engine cool (this was when it would leak).

I’ve been following some quality head gasket posts, using my Bently manual and was going into the job with full confidence yesterday until it came to removing parts of the exhaust. The bolts, washers and exhaust have essentially rusted together and are not budging no matter how much penetrant has sat on them.

I have the tools, but don’t have a torch or power outlets near the bus, so flame and cutting right now are out of the question unless there truly is no other way, and it has to be cut off (I’d like to save and not replace if at all possible).

The van had heads replaced with amc ones at one point too, has anyone experienced a lot of pitting on the amc heads before? Looking to get it all apart and then place one order for items. Hoping only the gaskets need replaced.

Also, don’t silicone over the heads and gaskets, Like the guy I bought it from to try and cover up a repair.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition - TinTop
2.1L Watercooled
The Space man Van

[dabaron]

you can use a chisel and hit the nut in line with the thread. this will split the nut making it expand and then come off saving the stud. the bolt, that does not sound like fun.
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1991 Vanagon GL Camper
i had no idea i wanted to be a mechanic
"burnin oil and cookin coils" -- Destructo

BiWerks Design, LLC

[DanHoug]

a propane torch using MAPP gas may work, acetylene will be much better. heat them up a red as you can get the nuts and studs, then pound the tightest 6 point socket on they you can. it may be standard and not metric as the rust decreased the size of the nut. see if it will turn out or even just move a smidge. then spray with penetrating oil and keep working back and forth.

don't worry about saving the studs. they are inexpensive and are good to replace when corroded. even if you have to saw the nut off, there is enough of the stud to grip with a vice grips to usually get it out. if you are buying new exhaust, then just saw the exhaust off at each header and work on the nuts/studs when the engine is out.... far far easier so if your exhaust is marginal, this is a great route to go.

i've done heads both in the van and with the engine dropped. it is far easier to do them with the engine dropped, even considering the hassle of removing the engine and trans. they you have great access to tend to everything else on a 30 year old vehicle.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[bobhill8]

I had a similar problem and went old school with a hacksaw on most bolts. My engine was already out so it was easy to get at most bolts in some direction or other. Buy good new blades and it shouldn't be too bad. Buy one of those mini one hand hacksaws as well and just be patient. Good Luck.

[danfromsyr]

I like to use the Bernzomatic WK5500 Brazing Torch Kit for fine detail heating. it's very portable and refills are available at homedepot.
sure it's not as cheap as a BIG tank of OXY/ACTYL but it's effective and easily controlled.

I can get a few bolts out of a tank pair.. I forget which tank goes quickest.. iirc it's the Oxygen one..
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-WK5500-Brazing-Torch-Kit-361487/300055608

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[Zeitgeist 13]

That's an impressive amount of goop.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Russpauly]

Yea, you’re telling me on the goop. There’s a popular Vanagon repair shop here in San Diego which didn’t think to mention this as a problem - maybe they didn’t know, maybe the seller and repair shop are super close friends and they were trying to get out of doing the repair (which is actually the case). Sucks because I bought with confidence having a known Vanagon mechanic look over the engine, but in hindsight I should have had it checked out elsewhere too — we live and learn.

In the end though I got the van I wanted, just didn’t get to enjoy it for as long as I would have liked to, just barely 2 weeks.

I’ll try it the portable torch and saw this weekend. Wish we had a driveway or garage, but there just isn’t the space in San Diego so a lot of repairs have to be done away from the house on a side street.
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition - TinTop
2.1L Watercooled
The Space man Van

[riceye]

[bobbyblack]

Just to say this so the OP knows, the entire engine and exhaust can be dropped down and out as a unit. Then you can cart it to somewhere with power or torch. Yes, its like #250, but you'll probably do much better with it out, and even on a stand. While I say that, I have also been the guy who didn't want to drop the engine, and DID do mine left IN the Vanagon.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[tjet]

Mine were like that on the original WBX. The only option was to cut the exhaust tube and pull the head. Hopefully yours wont be that bad. I ended up just replacing the engine with a good used RJE 2.2

Since then, I've upgraded to ARP studs & BMW copper nuts.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=20

[dolamike]

Check out this video at about 3:30 seconds. He shows how to chisel a very badly rusted exhaust nut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrU5Lytl3EQ
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71 Bay Window Bus
85 Westfalia

[dabaron]

[ThomasC]

[dobryan]

[mikemtnbike]

[dobryan]

[ThomasC]

[dabaron]

[bobbyblack]

Did mine with engine in, Driver side head popped off the jugs fairly easily. Pass side was, to put it bluntly, a real struggle. It took many days of spraying the intersection area with 50/50 acetone/ATF, many many tries with a variety of pry bar type objects, and eventually 4 500 watt halogen shop lamps aimed at the head for about two hours, then gratutious use of the best fit pry bar, and self-image bolstering thoughts of embodying my favorite superhero to finally get the jugs to pop off.

Remember, pull the jugs too far off the pistons, and you are DONE with your attempt to do this with the engine IN the rig. And.. probably done with the engine in general. The oiling ring slipping out is your ticket to the next level of hell. Remember to keep two gold coins in your pocket, that way, when you get to the other side of the Styx, you might be able to pay for the ticket back.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[dabaron]