Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 08:30:04 -0800
Reply-To: Michael Snow <mwsnow@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Michael Snow <mwsnow@HOME.COM>
Subject: Re: Purging the cooling system
In-Reply-To: <4.2.0.58.20010103161200.00c528b0@ns2.mediaweb.nl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
With complete disregard for the Bentley procedures (pure heresy), I have
found it very easy to purge air from the cooling system in both (1982 and
1983) of my diesel Vanagons. The diesel engine does not require nearly as
much cooling capacity as a waterboxer, so having a little air in the
radiator is not an emergency. I fill up the system with as much coolant as
it will take on level ground, without raising the front end. With the
engine at a fast idle, I open the radiator bleeder and add coolant to fill
the expansion tank and replace the cap. For the next few days, I release
any air trapped in the radiator at the end of my 12 mile trip to the office.
Since the system is pressurized from the heat, I just open the bleeder on
top of the radiator with a 13mm wrench until there is no more pressure or
coolant flows from the bleeder. It can take a few days to purge all the air
from a complete coolant change. When you can open the bleeder after a drive
that brings the engine to normal operating temperature (thermostat open) and
no air comes out, the job is complete. Be sure to drive with the heater
valve completely open to remove air as quickly as possible from the heater.
It's hard enough to keep the enormous rolling box warm in winter already!
Up to a certain point, the overflow tank catches coolant as it is forced out
of the pressurized expansion tank. If the pressure cap is working
correctly, some of this coolant will be drawn back into the expansion tank
as the engine cools. There should be no air in the expansion tank. There
are drain holes in the overflow tank to prevent it from being overfilled,
and a driver with some enthusiasm for maintenance to ensure that it has
enough coolant (and oil, it's right there!) at every refueling stop.
Mike Snow
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Peter van Marwijk
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 8:03 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Purging the cooling system
Hi all,
Recently I flushed my '87 diesel, but had a bit of trouble getting the air
out.
I waited until the engine was hot, revved the engine up and filled it to
the top, but after a while, when I revved it down to idle, the coolant tank
would start to overflow.
So I let it flow and placed the cap back on.
I did a search in the message archive and I discovered that you're supposed
to put the cap back on when the engine is still revved up.
My question is this:
Isn't that bad for the coolant tank? I mean, when the engine is running
idle, isn't there too much coolant ? And if it gets pressed into the
overflow tank, does it get back into the cooling system?
I guess I have to purge it again tomorrow. Does anyone know the size of
wrench I need for the radiator valve, I'll need to buy one tomorrow...
Greetings,
Peter.
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"This isn't life in the fast lane,
it's life in the oncoming traffic"
- Terry Pratchett -
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Peter van Marwijk,
Concept & Design
Mediaweb, Internet Integrators (http://mediaweb.nl)
P.O. Box 207 - 2200 AE - Noordwijk - The Netherlands
Phone : +31 71-3641168 - Fax: +31 71-3641165
Email :pvanmarwijk@mediaweb.nl - ICQ: 3773451
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