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Date:         Sat, 8 Dec 2001 17:23:21 -0400
Reply-To:     Malcolm Stebbins <MSTEBBIN@MSVU1.MSVU.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Malcolm Stebbins <MSTEBBIN@MSVU1.MSVU.CA>
Organization: Mount Saint Vincent University
Subject:      Re: Cooling system tip and involved question
In-Reply-To:  <B836B228.13BE%ben@kbmc.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

I agree with the LOGIC of the thermostat not opening with cold water being run through it, but I don't know about the actual FACTs. To flush, I take the return hose off of the coolant reservoir and feed cold water in the top of the reservoir till the return fluid runs clear (with the engine running). I then remove the lines from the coolant diversion block and let gravity drain those. After this there is totally air in the system and that's a bear to get it all out, I need a better method. Maybe next spring, I'll remove the lines from the diversion block and run the engine with COLD water and see if any fluid gets past the thermostat. malcolm

On 7 Dec 2001, at 17:51, Ben McCafferty wrote:

> Hi all, > Spent the day playing with anti-freeze, my least favorite > part of any vehicle. Anyway... > > First the tip: if you've ever drained your cooling system, > you removed those brass plugs between the pushrod tubes. > They are marginal at best--very easy to strip. On my newer > addition (90 westy syncro), these plugs have been replaced > with allen head bolts and a copper washer. Very nice--easy > to get to and remove/replace. > > Now the question: I read lots of information in the > archives about flushing and filling. The last time I did > this, I did the old fashioned method (drain, fill/flush, > drain, fill with new coolant/h2o). This time, I was > experimenting with the Prestone flush kit. I inserted the > "T" fitting with an extra piece of hose near the front > heater valve. I was aiming to find an easier way, i.e. one > where I could just run clear water into the system and let > the old coolant and water cycle out. But I'm having a bit > of a hard time visualizing what is going on. > > Let's say we could simplify the cooling system. If I > understand it right, we would basically have a large loop of > hoses for the primary cooling system for the engine. Off of > that loop, we would have two smaller loops, each going to a > heater core and controlled by an on/off valve. Somewhere on > one end of the large loop, we'd have a pump to circulate the > coolant, and an expansion tank for when the coolant volume > increases beyond what the loop can hold. If the cooling > system runs low, it draws from the expansion tank, and that > draws from the overflow tank if it gets too low. > > So here's my question--if I could somehow tag a molecule of > water and track it, would it eventually pass through all > parts of the cooling system, including the heater loops? If > so, if I attach the previously mentioned "T" to a heater > loop, and start pumping in water with the engine running, > will it eventually displace ALL old coolant? And would that > just run out of the top of the expansion tank? > > Basically, I'm trying to find a way to flush the system > completely, without removing the hoses up front or the plugs > at the rear. If I could run a hose off the expansion tank > to a large tub, and the idea mentioned above would work, it > seems I could do this. I also would prefer to use an > insertion point for the "T" that's in the engine > compartment instead of up front. If this did work, I think > I'd still have to drain the system after flushing, but at > least it would only be once instead of twice. Is there a > way to draw fluid off the cooling system via the expansion > tank, etc.? > > Last question--once the system is flushed and drained, I add > a gallon of coolant, then a gallon of water, then a gallon > of coolant, then water, etc., will the two elements > eventually mix? Or will they tend to follow each other > around in the loop? Oops, that was two questions. > > Well, thanks all, and I'm open to any great ideas you have > on this whole process, since I get to do the other one > tomorrow..... > > bmc :) > "Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a > shovel...."


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