Aircooled head gasket

[dugwiththevwbug]

Been out to help andy today and
a lesson learnt today in the wonders of elite recons 5k miles covered and both heads helicoiled and severely cracked.
begs the question why do elite not just put 16oo standard barrels and pistons from a type 1 or 2 twin port on rather than bodge the old just shows how reconditioned reconditioned is supposedly a 1641?

andys problem was the newly fitted recomended heads were new deep set heads and with the old shallow lip cylinders meant no seating of cylinders to head = no compression thus no start.

new barrels and pistons on the way and engine will be up and going once again.

[A KIRK]

Yes we are a step further forward now, thanks to Doug, a little dis-hearted with having to remove the engine once again, but with two of us it makes it so much easier.

I guess we live and learn, its always a learning curv, my biggest lesson being if somehting/someone is cheap its for a reason, a reconditioned engine should not die in under 5000 miles and 15 months, but hey ho thats life.

I shall be returning the engine back to a piddly poor 1600 as I dount the 1641 really has any benefits.

Huge thanks to Doug.

[dugcati]

..... elite recons 5k miles covered and both heads helicoiled and severely cracked.

What warranty did you get with the engine? have you spoken to Elite as I would suspect they might want a shot at sorting it out if it's under a warranty (although admittedly I am aware they will most likely state as you took it apart it's voided any warranty etc etc)

[A KIRK]

hm Elite now thats a swear word.

Whilst the chaps sounds greta on the phone and make all sorts of promises they fail to honour.

I did speak with them after finally being able to get hold of them, they agreed to come and collect the van on a set date.

Date arrived and I spent a whole week of not being able to get hold of them, I left several voicemails and even an email. They didn't turn up when agreed to collect the van, and then didn't return any of my calls, emails.

I was happy to pay for them to do the work as I accepted the Aircooled rebuild only have a warranty for 12 months, which is fine. So I gave them a chance to have a look, even with me willing to pay, and they couldn't even be bothered to do that.

I spoke to Mick at great lengths about the van and we even chatted about the current issues they were having with talk talk etc.


However after seeing some of the shoddy workman ship and poor parts used, I'll never use them or recommend them to anyone again.

I was fair in that I was willing to pay, willing to wait almost 2 weeks for them to even pick the van up, but when the date came and they didn't return calls I lost all faith in them.

If something is cheap its cheap for a reason.

Anyway on a brighter note were getting closer to sorting it now thanks to Doug