Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 19:12:51 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Overheated, now what?
You probably trashed it. I'll give ya $500 for it.
Seriously, I've had my engine ('85 1.9) boiling before. This was on a pass
in Colorado last summer when I didn't realize that my radiator fan was on
its way out. No problems later on.
Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Schwenk" <steve@SYNCRO.ORG>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2000 6:11 PM
Subject: Overheated, now what?
> On my testing run over the mountains and
> to the desert, my water pump belt self
> destructed...apparently from a rock that
> got kiced up since it was only 1 year
> old. I was heading up-hill with tight
> turns and big drop off, so i did not
> notice the light until the gauge had
> reached close to the upper limits. By
> the time I shut it down, the water was
> boiling inside the engine. I was about
> 50 miles from the nearest town or gas
> station. Yes, i had a spare belt and
> coolant with me.
>
> The van ran fine afterward and all the
> way home (another 400 miles), adn ran
> cool as ever. there has been no coolant
> leakage.
>
> My question is what damage might have
> been done? What got weakened? I've
> heard that there are some plastic
> coolant pipes that go into the engine
> that VW later replaced with metal. Is
> this true? Perhaps I should replace
> them? Ron or Ken, if you're listening,
> can you get me these?
>
> I was so proud of my syncro on that
> trip. It handled beautifully. My
> comftorable cruising speed on the ditrt
> roads was quite fast. I passed a few
> macho-looking SUVs on the dirt like they
> were standing still. they would not
> pull over to let me by, so i blew by
> them, i felt like i was racing dirt
> bikes again. I could tell from watching
> their wheels that the ride was a bit
> rougher for them than me, too. I did
> hit a good sized rock at about 40 mph,
> but the front diff gaurd took the hit
> fine, with only a small dent.
>
> As for power, I like my wasserboxer
> better every year. When I first got it,
> I wanted to put in a biger engine. Not
> any more. It is a bit underpowered, but
> the power band is great, the torque is
> good, the opposed twin cruises like a
> BMW motorcycle, and with 100,000 miles,
> it is still going stong with no oil
> consumption. Hope my overheating did
> not do any damage. Doesn't VW make a
> gaurd for thge belts for syncros to
> prevent rocks from getting in there?
> steve
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