Club 80-90 Forums

I've just got my first ever vw camper, an 86 1.9 petrol. This is also my first post, so go gentle! I bought it as a non runner, so expected problems. It had overheated and wouldn't hold water, so I hoped it may just be the water jacket seal, and hey presto that's where the water was leaking from. However, when I cranked the engine you could feel pressure blowing out through the hole in the water jacket seal, does this mean the 'head gasket' o ring has also gone? As I assume this area shouldn't have any pressure? Any advice would be welcome. Thanks, si

Hi Tubbsi, welcome to the mad house. If you are not a fully qualified mad man, you soon will be!

As to your water jacket pressurisation, I would suggest doing a compression test on the cylinders. Certainly sounds likely that you have a failure there.

Time to settle in the engine bay, it will become your second home.

Hi, and welcome to the club. Time to be positive and look on the bright side, if the water jacket seals have failed then you will have to take the heads off anyway to rectify that fault which means that you can sort out any other issues with the cylinder heads while they are off

And hope and pray the heads come off without snapping any head studs, cos then you're into a whole other world of pain.

Next steps...

1. E bay
2. Purchase "Rose tinted spectacles"



Good luck with your bus!
Em

xxx

Thanks for the welcome

Fingers crossed the heads come off easily then - I dont know much about these engines yet, but even i know thats a long shot!

Any tips to make them come off easier, or is it just pure chance?

Cheers
Si

Depends if the previous owners's did any coolant changes
Some plus gas , heat and an air or battery impact wrench helps with the head studs too.
Good luck.
Jay

There is a ready to fit 1.9DG for sale on here... No connection to me but it caught my eye (and I don't need an engine. Yet. )

LeeME3 wrote:There is a ready to fit 1.9DG for sale on here... No connection to me but it caught my eye (and I don't need an engine. Yet. )

Yea, spotted that, but unfortunately i was too late and it had already gone - would have been perfect too! Oh well, cant have it all.

I did read somewhere that there is a company that supplies reconditioned units for around £1000 which seems pretty cheap, as all the places ive found seem to be double that price. Anyone know of this company as i cant recall the name, but if it all goes wrong they may well get a call...

Elite.

Do a search from them on here but make up your own mind. Chap I know used them and is very pleased.

http://www.elitevw.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LeeME3 wrote:Elite.

Do a search from them on here but make up your own mind. Chap I know used them and is very pleased.

http://www.elitevw.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great thanks