

| Subject: | HELP engine problems on '81 |
| From: | John Anderson |
| Date: | Sat, 06 Jul 1996 11:40:13 -0400 |
Well planning vacation this year and since I'm not going to get around to body work on the '78 and since I got a chance at a real fridge. A couple quick questions to all you air cooled vanagon people. Sunday I am going to go get an '81, it is 5-6 hours from me at 60 mph. Now current state is running solid on 3 cylinders, No. 2 cylinder 0 compression. Funny thing is right side head recently overhauled? (though mechanic quality questionable) Well I've not been able to look at the engine whatsoever, but I have from a spare '79 block one good head, some good lifters, reuseable in a pinch P/C if needed. What I want to know is since I've never pulled an air cooled van engine how long will this take me relative to a wasserboxer or late air cooled bus? Any pitfalls to avoid? Am I best to go ahead and drop engine and tranny as a unit (I figure I am), could instead I pull a head by merely dismantaling tin on that side (and intake and exhasust) I don't figure so but I'd like to not drop the engine due to where the van sits. Finally as is anyone want to conjecture how far I could go, PO drove it back 4 hours the way it is, I'd like to make it only 1.5-2 down to a friends, but really don't wan't to screw it up too much worse, course I don't even know whats wrong. I would guess a heavily pounded seat but that seems unlikely in view it was off 5-10k back. I will be rebuilding the engine immediately anyway, but would always like to save a spare with as little damage as possible. On this last 1 more quick question, any differences between the '79 and '81 I don't think there are but something nags me about mounts or something. John
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