Messages

1

Vanagon concerns / boxer water repair

« on: February 04, 2009, 06:51:21 AM »

OOPS!  Forgot to say:  its an '87- a second generation water-cooled.  About 70,000 mi on a motor that previous owner got VW to replace after an initial 50, so the bottom end, etc are fairly fresh, at 70,000.  My previous ownership of air-cooled vans has included a bearings-up rebuild, although my time is tighter now than then, so am considering whether to pay for the work.   -Pinetree  -in the VA 'burbs of DC; i'f you're nearby, do get in touch!

2

Vanagon concerns / Water leak on Pass side at block-- can I fix it in the van?

« on: February 03, 2009, 03:40:03 PM »

Did it bad-  had a small leak, sealed it with Barr's stop leak in warm weather, forgot to add antifreeze, and had it blow on me while warming up in the driveway on an uder-20 morning.  When I got back out to it, it had stalled, and was steaming, and had lots of water on the driveway.   Still starts and runs (I had Mobil 1 oil in it, so hope the cylinders are OK-- I'll do a compression test), but now a very bad leak-- like an open faucet, I think only on the pass. side-- where the first leak was.  Several Q's:  Can I do it with the motor in the car?  What source has the clearest instructions?  If I can do one siede from under the car, and the second side turns out to need it, is the under-the-car fix so bad that I'll wishI had pulled it to do the whole job at once?    
AND:  What have people paid to have this job commercially done by a waterboxer specialist (cylinder seal, etc-- no head or cylinder work)?
Please give a price for doing one side, if you have had that done, or for both, and tell me if it's with the motor in or dropped down.  THANKS

3

Vanagon concerns / Water leak where cyl meets block-- cured, at least for now

« on: August 25, 2008, 05:22:17 PM »

I just heard George Bossart's sad tail of lifting the heads on his waterboxer (2nd generation) and having the the walls come up above the rings.  I thought I was facing some top-end work for a small leak (refill the overflow tank after every 15 mile run) on my '87 where the wall hit the block, so I listened carefully and decided to stay out, and try Barr's Stop-Leak.  They make several price ranges, with increasing complexity for proper use (the top grade theyclaim is for dead head gasgets-- might work as well or better.).  I chose the next-to-most expensive, a copper color, and followed the instructions carefully. Had to  1)drain the antifreeze/coolant out, 2) use a flush, then 3) another rinse- out.  All involved unclamping the hose up over the spare tire (took the whole pan off for easy access) and pulling it off each time-- watching out for HOT water coming out.  And 4) refilling with the R wheels up on the ramps (slant put lots of uumph on the water coming out!).   Finally 5) refilling with water-only plus the Barrs, and running a good while.  Then draining the system again and refilling with coolant.  Lots of little pissy jobs, over and over, but I have no leak for the present!!  (About 120 K on the van, but previous owner claimed a rebuild at 50K by VW after a waranteed problem-- so maybe only 70K.   I'll add an update if the situation changes, but for now I'm delighted.  --Oh- I use it irregularly, as a 3rd car, except when running a bunch of boy scouts around or going camping-- only a couple of these per year.