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Date:         Sun, 16 Jan 2000 22:22:04 -0000
Reply-To:     David Clark <DavidClark@HUMBERONIA1.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Clark <DavidClark@HUMBERONIA1.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
Subject:      Re: Boiling Point
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Dear list,

Many thanks for the comments received so far.

Bulley wrote: If you mix your coolant properly

"Have trusted garage to do this, can I test mixture myself, for boiling point? If so how without getting scalded? My wife has a jam thermometer which registers up to 200c or 400f might give this a try"

Buy a new cap. They are about $12-$15

"We are on third cap since I mentioned this to the garage can all three be useless?"

David wrote: Ah Ha! It should be overflowing from the pressure cap into the little hose that goes to the nonpressurised overflow tank, thence to be recovered when the stuff in the system shrinks back down.

"It does, but coolant obviously still gets out, so much is recovered it is empty when system cools down"

PS -- it's possible that getting rid of the Humber or swapping it for a Sunbeam Imp would improve the situation... :)

"Can't see how changing the Humber for a rear fire pump engined car that brought down the Rootes empire would help (I think that gets me boiling over!) - but thanks for the suggestion anyway"

Kenneth wrote: First off I would replace the pressure cap and install the proper hose and over flow tank to it.

"See comment above"

Eric wrote: My guess is your Rad. cap is bad. Not holding much pressure. The second guess is your compression is leaking in to the cooling system. Rad. caps are cheap. Ether way you have a problem that should be fixed before driving any further.

"I would like it fixed but it only happens whilst on holiday for three weeks of the year, compression seems OK, why should compression only leak going up steep hills and not at higher speeds - again garage has tested compression OK"

What happens when you guys with syncros go up steep inclines, surely the engine revs must rise and the water not flow to the front of the van in the same manner as I have suggested - do you loose any coolant?

Judging by the comments so far the cap seems the most likely problem, or a wrong coolant mix which might cause the excessive expansion and expulsion of coolant, but it seems odd this should happen every year without fail, even though the cap and fluid have been changed.

Thanks in advance for any other thoughts.

David

> -----Original Message----- > From: David Clark [SMTP:DavidClark@HUMBERONIA.FREESERVE.CO.UK] > Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2000 5:14 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Boiling Point > > Seeking some ideas > Each year with a fully loaded camper I have to climb Mountain passes, so we > are talking 2nd gear, 20-25mph for 20 minutes - half an hour. The > temperature gauge goes from the left side of warning light (normal) to the > right side but never off the gauge whilst climbing. If I stop when the > road > levels out usually to pay a road toll, or slow down for the customs post - > clouds of steam appear from the back as coolant overflows from the pressure > cap onto the exhaust. Similar scenario daily basis on holiday - empty > vehicle except for passengers, mountain climbing 10 mins max, 1st gear > loose > gravel (could do with syncro). Get to house level ground engine still > running but coolant spills out onto exhaust - loads of steam. > On neither occasion does the gauge read hot, and cooling fan only comes on > when on level and engine ticking over. > > Theory water pump cannot cope pushing water up to radiator when camper is > on > steep incline? Water boils in engine because of heat build up - very hot > water not reaching radiator? Any thoughts similar situations from the list? > Any way of solving? > > The rest of year cooling no problem, have replaced pump / pipes / flushed > radiator this has happened every year for last 4 years, over 50k miles. > > David Clark > 1985 VW Autosleeper VHT 1.9 2WD > www.soft.net.uk/vwt2oc > (see members rides) > 1960 Humber Super Snipe Estate 3L > www.humberonia.freeserve.co.uk > 1988 Fiat Uno 1.1L automatic (wife's) > >


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