Exhaust studs.

[Smiffo]

Spot on!

You know that is a challenge I can't refuse LOL.
Ok - round two tomorrow.

I will give it another go. Anyone got any tips ref getting to the stud directly under the thermostat housing?

If anyone says remove the thermostat housing, I'm going to give myself a `facepalm` right now....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZxzJGgox_E" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[what2do]

Never try to undo a stud by turning anti-clockwise 100% of the time if it offers resistance. Undo a bit, tighten a bit, unfortunately a bit, tighten a bit, etc etc. It will help I promise.

[ajsimmo]

... If you do it and after having a go some will inevitably snap, then pull the engine, remove the heads and send them to a machine shop.

As easy as that...
It's important at this point to add the essential wbx warning to the unsuspecting owner with good intentions - the head studs may snap inside the engine as you try to undo the nuts. If this happens you may end up buying another engine. You might be lucky, but you might not. Only attempt cylinder head removal if you accept the risk and are prepared for this eventuality.

No mechanic wants to work on our vans anymore, from a business perspective I don't blame them.

I do, & it's all I do!
I turn away anything built this century.

[Smiffo]

you may end up buying another engine. You might be lucky, but you might not. Only attempt cylinder head removal if you accept the risk and are prepared for this eventuality.

Hi AJ.

I'm curious why it could result in a new engine?
I don't have the knowledge or equipment to pull the engine out, so don't want to end up there, but hypothetically - if I did - how could the need for a new engine arise?

If there is any danger of me making it worse and ending up in a position that a more qualified professional wouldn't, then I would like to know how and why etc.

Thanks in advance

[itchyfeet]

He means taking heads off is risky, head studs snapping in the engine case is common, if they snap low it's a hard. job to remove, then the labour costs exceed the engine cost unless you have the skills to do it yourself.

Also you can't remove heads without also removing barrels and pistons to renew the. lower barrel seal, well you can leave the old seal but you would be mad to do it.

[Smiffo]

Well I have no problem with admitting I don't have the skills for that, Itchy...

Even getting the engine out would be a steep learning curve.
It is time to recognise my limits here - leave it to someone who makes a living doing it.
Worst case isn't ending up where a garage would anyway - worst case is snapping the stud where a professional wouldn't, I think.

The van is no good to me sat on the drive unusable..!!
I'm going to just keep coating the heads with PlusGas, which should give the fitters a better chance of getting the studs out.

No-one has mentioned the stud below the thermostat housing yet though; being so close to the stud, is it a case of removing the housing first to get to it?

[itchyfeet]

no-one has mentioned the stud below the thermostat housing yet though; being so close to the stud, is it a case of removing the housing first to get to it?

if it won't come off and needs heat the garage may need to remove the thermostat housing

cost start increasing.

you can get a spanner on it without removing thermostat housing

[Smiffo]

no-one has mentioned the stud below the thermostat housing yet though; being so close to the stud, is it a case of removing the housing first to get to it?

if it won't come off and needs heat the garage may need to remove the thermostat housing

cost start increasing.

you can get a spanner on it without removing thermostat housing

Yes, I tried it but it wasn't budging, so I thought a socket set would be better - can't really get a good angle on it that way though - I'm leaving it.
Decision made. Especially as I am not sure how much I can force it without snapping it.

The pro can get that out, the assumption is he does it day in, day out.
I was thinking about this last night - to think anyone could walk in my shoes and do my job as efficiently as I do would be a joke, even if I do break it down into manageable steps for them.....

I have concluded it is therefore equally silly to think that - despite some of the good options given to me - I stand as good a chance at getting them out without snapping them, as a man who does it for a living.

Now this is decided ( and I won't be changing my mind again ) I can start thinking about the bits I can do, or don't mind trying.

[kevtherev]

Volkswagen, making their owners into mechanics for 60 years.
It's not a professional job undoing nuts and bolts.

[what2do]

Volkswagen, making their owners into mechanics for 60 years.
It's not a professional job undoing nuts and bolts.

I agree but experience plays a great part. Imagine someone who wasn't on the forums thought to themselves, "it's a rusty bolt, I'll just undo it like this......" Even the mention of penetrating oil and heat does a long to way to avoiding the worse case scenario.

[what2do]

Anybody got a spark eroder kicking about.....

[ghost123uk]

Re undoing those studs/bolts/nuts.

From what I have seen, any garage "in the know" with these uses a lot of heat from a welding torch to get them out. You can't get enough hot/localised heat using a simple canister gas type thing (imho). Also, it's much easier to get at and to get a good purchase on the studs/nuts (with the correct size and top quality spanners), when the van is up in the air the garage ramp. This is where the garage has the advantage, as long as they "know" T25's and know what can go wrong if it goes boobs up.

[Smiffo]

Re undoing those studs/bolts/nuts.

From what I have seen, any garage "in the know" with these uses a lot of heat from a welding torch to get them out. You can't get enough hot/localised heat using a simple canister gas type thing (imho). Also, it's much easier to get at and to get a good purchase on the studs/nuts (with the correct size and top quality spanners), when the van is up in the air the garage ramp. This is where the garage has the advantage, as long as they "know" T25's and know what can go wrong if it goes boobs up.

Van in the air.... What a luxury...

[123-jn]

I did mine with the van on drive up ramps at the back and axle stands at the front to level it, No real problems getting under apart from removing the drive shafts out of the way. And I am not the thinnest guy in town. In fact quite obese!!!

[itchyfeet]

I did mine with the van on drive up ramps at the back and axle stands at the front to level it, No real problems getting under apart from removing the drive shafts out of the way. And I am not the thinnest guy in town. In fact quite obese!!!

You don't have to drive onto ramps, you jack it up and lower on to them, put one ramp each way and it can't roll off.