Pulling heads & cylinders from a VW Vanagon, ...can it be done without pulling the engine? Options

[Cap'n Krusty]

Look at #3 before you do anything. Do a compression test. These things like to drop valve seats and drop valves. They also erode the edge of the piston, right down to the top ring groove, and I think you're gonna find the top end is toast. I don't think you can remove that wrist pin with the #4 piston and cylinder in place. Personally, I think you're just being stubborn. There's no way I'd even attempt this in the car, and I've been working on T2s and Vanagons since 1973. Never crossed my mind to do it in the car .....................

The Cap'n,

would a rebuild with 30k erode a head like that?

I'm not being stubborn Cap'n, just being sure that's what's ahead of me, and appreciate your advice fer sure. well, ok... I have known to be stubborn. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Thanks!

I've seen 'em fail in less than a month ................. Faster if the EGR system isn't there and working at 100%.

The Cap'n

[Radmacdaddy]

I've seen 'em fail in less than a month ................. Faster if the EGR system isn't there and working at 100%.

The Cap'n

EGR system?

[r_towle]

I would honestly suggest that you go see John and Johns car corner in Westminster VT.
John has probably 25 vanagons on the lot and he has tons of parts from over 45 years in the business servicing just VW cars.

It might be simpler, cheaper, and considerably faster to just buy a used motor from John, have him install it, and enjoy life.

Rich

[Cap'n Krusty]

I've seen 'em fail in less than a month ................. Faster if the EGR system isn't there and working at 100%.

The Cap'n

EGR system?

76 through 83 aircooled VW vans (and most other VWs), had an exhaust gas recirculation system which kept the combustion chamber temperatures down and lowered the emissions. Whether or not you are concerned about emissions levels is of no import here. What IS important is the combustion temperature. In order to keep the heads as cool as possible, the EGR must be all there and completely functional. Failure to control the temps will cause seats to drop, valves to break, and pistons to burn. It's a fact of life in van world.

The Cap'n

[Radmacdaddy]

I would honestly suggest that you go see John and Johns car corner in Westminster VT.
John has probably 25 vanagons on the lot and he has tons of parts from over 45 years in the business servicing just VW cars.

It might be simpler, cheaper, and considerably faster to just buy a used motor from John, have him install it, and enjoy life.

Rich

Thanks for that Rich, i've already tried calling... will try again soon (they're busy). But I will be in AZ when I get this, not VT.

I am looking for contact in AZ at the present, though.

[Radmacdaddy]

I've seen 'em fail in less than a month ................. Faster if the EGR system isn't there and working at 100%.

The Cap'n

EGR system?

76 through 83 aircooled VW vans (and most other VWs), had an exhaust gas recirculation system which kept the combustion chamber temperatures down and lowered the emissions. Whether or not you are concerned about emissions levels is of no import here. What IS important is the combustion temperature. In order to keep the heads as cool as possible, the EGR must be all there and completely functional. Failure to control the temps will cause seats to drop, valves to break, and pistons to burn. It's a fact of life in van world.

The Cap'n

Thanks cap'n, you're a plethora of info! I'm grateful.

[type47]

Yea, but maybe not on cars in states other than CA. My '81 (in VA) doesn't have anything from the heads that indicate EGR stuff. There is a connection just before the CAT in the exhaust system back to the intake but there is no connection to the heads.

[Cap'n Krusty]

The EGR plumbing goes to the intake plenum, not the heads. There's a kind of spray bar setup inside the plenum that distributes the exhaust gasses to the openings of the 4 intake runners.

The Cap'n

[type47]

How does that cool the heads? 'Splain that to me.... the crossover pipe with the connection to the EGR piping has been NLA for years so we're all gonna get high temps...

[Cap'n Krusty]

It adds exhaust gasses to the cylinder charge, reducing the combustion temperature. That results in cooler heads and pistons, reducing the work of the external cooling air flow.Might want to Google "Exhaust Gas Recirculation operation".

Here's a Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_gas_recirculation

The Cap'n

[Radmacdaddy]

I HAD to do it!!

And it hasn't been bad, until now...
I replaced a head with a dropped valve after picking up the van, got on the road and en route one of the rocker arm bolts snapped. Got that fixed thanks to the awesome guys at Dougs Bugs & bunnies in Phoenix. But after leaving there, after being pointed out that the oil smoke blowing out my oil filler hole was sign of some toasting or toasted rings... I hoped on the road to see how it would go. It went from bad to worse & now I am in a parking lot in Phoenix with my engine half apart... Which went very quickly, as did the ring replacement on #1. Number two though is being a bear.

I can't get the rings to compress enough to allow the cylinder to slide back on. I used the old ring to try & scrape out the seat a bit, but beyond that I am stuck. What can I do. From here in my position? Any suggestions?

The is urgent & I'll take any advice anyone can offer please!