Date:         Tue, 26 Sep 2000 18:28:18 -0400
Reply-To:     Bob O'Shaughnessy <vanagon@COLUMBUS.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bob O'Shaughnessy <vanagon@COLUMBUS.RR.COM>
Subject:      Re: Epic Journeys (Long... Frustrating)
Comments: To: Eric Nettles <enettles@CENTERSTAGE.ORG>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Eric Nettles (enettles@CENTERSTAGE.ORG) said on the date of 9/26/00 2:56
PM

>I am also having two problems that other people have mentioned...
>
>1) A well bled cooling system that used to never even get halfway now
>rides a bit higher, is prone to overheating, and generally scary to
>drive. Is it just the difference between the green stuff I used to use
>and the new orange stuff?


     A few suggestions:

     Check coolant flow:  Idle the van till it warms up and the
thermostat opens.  Open the front heater and make sure you have heat.
Then get under the van and squeeze the radiator feed hose to make sure it
is hot.

     I'm pretty sure that low or no coolant flow is your problem.  At
that point, the question is whether it is an obstruction or a bad water
pump.  I'd also pop the thermostat out and check that it is opening all
the way.  (Also make sure you have the right thermostat, as I've found
that getting the right one is pretty danged hard)

     There's an outside chance that you also got the heads together wrong
and are blowing exhaust gasses into the coolant.  I don't think that this
is the case, as you seem to be able to run it without overheating under
good conditions.  Someone once suggested waving the emissions testing
wand over your expansion tank opening to "sniff" for exhaust gasses.

     This isn't meant as a criticism, but other than the blown head
gasket, you seem to be shooting from the hip.  This is probably due to
the rather unfourtinate time circumstances you seem to be under.  It is
damn hard to take a calm, detached look at a problem with deadlines
staring you down.

     Take a Saturday, if possible, with a mechanical or methodical friend
and go through the whole cooling system bit by bit, H20 pump and belt,
hoses, bleeder system, heaters, radiator and radiator fan and
thermo-switch.  Get out a Bentley and pour over the diagrams of the
cooling systm and check each part one by one.

     Good luck, and keep us up to date on what you've found out.

_________________________________________________________

Bob O'Shaughnessy,         Columbus, OH
vanagon@columbus.rr.com
99 A3 Jetta TDI
85GL with basic Westy interior
74 Bus (Dad's)
72 Wife, 94 Rabbit, 95 Cat, 96 cat, 98 Kid 11/00 Kid!
52 House