Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 16:21:45 -0800
Reply-To: Graham Challis <centumg@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Graham Challis <centumg@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: 91 Westy rear heater core smell - no leak!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
When you go to take the heater box off, if you're not
averse to a bit of non-visible mutilation, then after
you take the wood kick board off, cut out the heater
box at the bottom where it goes under the heater unit
(it'll be obvious what to do once you take the board
off) - that way you can easily get the surround off
without having to disassemble the bed. When you put
the new core in and reassemble everything you won't
even notice the bit that's missing. The box is some
sort of fibreglass so it's easy to cut.
There's a msg. in the archives about this that I
posted a while back - I had exactly the same symptoms
as you describe, plus earlier I'd replaced the valve
without doing the little mod. to the surround - the
second time I started to unbolt the bed I thought:
"why am I doing this again - this is stupid!".
Graham
90 GL auto Country Homes Camper
--- Jim & Melody <JiMelody@ZIANET.COM> wrote:
> HK,
> Order another heater core. We enjoyed the sweet
> maple syrup smell in our 91
> for 3.5 years. Actually thought someone had
> spilled syrup near the heater.
> Over the weekend we went up to the mountains in the
> snow and as I sat next
> to the van enjoying some hot chocolate I noticed
> coolant in the sliding tray
> at the bottom of the side door. hmmm. I too
> evaluated the situation with
> the heater hot and running, nary a leak (obviously
> knew it was leaking but
> trying to pinpoint locations). Quit for the night
> and had a nice puddle in
> the morning. Pulled the heater core out and sure
> enough, the bottom 1/4
> inch was blue from a longstanding leak which
> evidently just increased. I'll
> bet yours is similar and the fan evaporates the
> little coolant which drips
> into the core tray. You never know when it will get
> worse so better to
> replace when you can. BD has mine on the way.
>
> Regards,
> Jim
> 91 Syncro AW
> 99 NB TDI
> Alamogordo NM
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Horace K. Sawyer <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2000 7:34 PM
> Subject: Re: 91 Westy rear heater core smell - no
> leak!
>
>
> > Very strong sickly sweet odor of hot coolant. I
> examined the heater box
> > unit, and open/close valve with the engine warm
> and running. No evidence
> > of a leak visible. I read some posts about the
> open/close valve being
> > prone to leak, but not the sign of the slightest
> drip.
> >
> > I did not rip open the heater box to examine the
> heater core. Still no
> > sign of leaking underneath. So where is it coming
> from? It definitely is
> > emanating from the rear heater. My nose knows. :
> )
> >
> > This smell is driving me batty (more so than I
> already am, so they say).
> > Hope this odor is not DANGERous! We have an 11
> month baby girl who loves
> > to ride in the "Edelweiss."
> >
> > Should I go ahead and order another heater core?
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> > HK
> >
>
>
>
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