Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 22:16:27 -0400
Reply-To: jhlauterbach <jhlauterbach@email.msn.com>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: jhlauterbach <jhlauterbach@email.msn.com>
Subject: Re: Coolant coming out...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Dennis, if you have significant air in the system, you can get a steady
stream of bubbles. At least as far as my '84 is concerned, everything has
to be absolutely leak tight otherwise air builds up in the very top of the
expansion tank. Mine has been doing this on and off since I bought van
5/97.
John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <Dhaynes57@email.msn.com>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2000 2:04 AM
Subject: Re: Coolant coming out...
> If you see steady bubbles in the overflow tank, you have an internal leak
> between the combustion chamber and the cooling system. This could either
be
> a head to cylinder gasket problem or a cracked head. If the combustion
gases
> are accumulating fast enough, the coolant will be pushed out of the
radiator
> and/or the pump will become air locked. Occasional bubbles after working
on
> the cooling system/bleeding it are normal, but any steady bubbling
> afterwards is a problem. Improperly torqued head studs can also cause this
> problem.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Daniel Schmitz
> Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 3:27 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Coolant coming out...
>
>
> It's my turn to have a cooling system question.
>
> I seem to have an intermittent coolant leak, but only AFTER driving the
> van, not during or while engine is running.
>
> I noticed today that there was a puddle of coolant underneath the
> center, rear of my parked '87 camper. I had driven the van to work, and
> it had been parked for about 90 minutes. When I returned to the van to
> run an errand, there was a puddle of green liquid under the center, rear
> area of the van, about under the coolant recovery tank.
>
> I went ahead and drove the van, and after parking it 3 more times, did
> not see anymore evidence of coolant on the ground.
>
> Also, my overflow tank (behind the license plate) fills almost full
> while the van is running and up to operating temp, and then the level
> comes back down when it cools off, but not quite as far back down as it
> used to. I can also see bubbling in the tank while the engine is hot and
> running and this continues for awhile after I shut it down. When the
> engine is cold, the coolant level is lower, but still above the upper
> line; previously it was between the upper and lower lines, which is
> normal.
>
> I see no evidence of the water pump leaking or leaks from anywhere else.
>
> Temperature gauge reads normal all the time.
>
> Van runs great; just changed the oil, no evidence of coolant in oil or
> oil in coolant.
>
> Assumptions:
>
> The pressure cap is not holding pressure, and upon shutting down the hot
> engine, coolant temp rises just enough to force coolant into the
> recovery tank, which then overflows. This is happening intermittently,
> however, so I'm not sure if it's the correct assessment.
>
> Any thoughts? Should I just go ahead and get a new pressure cap and
> thermostat as preventative maintenance? I don't actually think the van
> is running hot, judging by the temp gauge, and as far as I know, the
> pressure cap may be the original.
>
> Also, the engine has about 20K miles on it, and the coolant the PO ran
> is green. It looked like the correct blue from outside the tank, but
> upon seeing it on the ground, it's definitely the familiar green coolant
> common to other vehicles.
>
> Confirmation? If so, I guess I will need to change it soon to prolong my
> relatively young engine.
>
> Dan
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