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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. ---------------------------------------------------------- "This isn't life in the fast lane, it's life in the oncoming traffic" - Terry Pratchett - ---------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- Katwijkse Branding Surfclub -> http://kbs.nl


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