Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 10:59:56 -0800
Reply-To: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject: Re: REAR HEATER Repair/By-pass advice
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Tony,
First, you need to keep in mind that coolant and the fumes from coolant are
toxic.
Personally, I would want to get it cleaned up before I spend any time in the
driver's seat... especially with the windows rolled up! While cleaning up I
would use rubber gloves and a respirator. Also, I have heard that is such
extreme conditions as your leak sounds that it is recommended to remove the
rear seat and cabinets so you can get to the flooring and remove and replace
it... you don't need flooring soaked in a toxic substance.
Second, Bus Depot sells heater cores... that is most likely the fix you
need. What I did was to just remove the heater because I don't use it anyway
and that gives me more room under the rear seat. But don't us a U to connect
the two hoses as that will give the coolant a short cut back to the engine
before it has a chance to go forward to the radiator to cool. I used brass
fittings to plug both hoses off... two barbed by threaded fittings and two
brass threaded caps.. used the original clamps to assume snug fit to the
barbed fittings.
Good Luck,
Bill
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony DeMille <dubstar@XMISSION.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, February 21, 2000 10:48 AM
Subject: REAR HEATER Repair/By-pass advice
>list,
>
>i'm having a serious coolant leak coming from my rear (under bench) heater
>in my '90 vanagon. (by serious i mean it has soaked my padding and carpet
>twice all the way up to the behind the front seats) i need to know what to
>do.
>
>i've removed the outermost housing and have discovered coolant build-up
>around the bottom of the fins on the radiator unit. it appears to be
leaking
>around there and coming out of the seam of bottom of the housing
surrounding
>that core unit. (i should note here that the hoses and other usual leak
>areas appear to be fine) does this mean that the radiator unit is shot? is
>there a "stop leak" type fix? should i create some kind of "U" joint for
the
>hoses to bypass the heater unit and take it out until i can repair or
>replace it? and if i make the "U" joint, does disconnecting the heater mean
>i have to bleed the system after i'm done because i've let air in?
>basically, what is the best thing to do?
>
>this problem has gotten continually worsened to the point that my coolant
>sensor light comes on.
>
>any information on this subject will be immensly appreciated.
>
>p.s. for those of you that care, i was on this list for a year or two until
>last year. remember, my '87 caught on fire in the taco bell parking lot?
>it's nice to be back. i've missed the list. i hope all is well in v-land
>
>thank you in advance.
>
>Tony
>'90 GL
>
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