Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 20:58:41 -0800
Reply-To: Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Subject: Lengthy installation notes: coolant and prestone flush kit
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Can't remember if I posted this publicly or privately, so here's a detailed
account of my recent Adventures With Autobahn and the Prestone kit for the
archives.
I did a flush and fill of my 89 syncro 7-passenger and 90 syncro westy last
week. I had posted to the list trying to get suggestions on making the job
easier, with the use of the Prestone flush kit, or any other means. In the
end, I think the Prestone kit has its merits, but doesn't make the job any
easier, just more thorough.
In the end, I decided that there is no free lunch to be had here--to do a
really thorough job, there don't seem to be any real shortcuts. I would
still love to hear about them if someone knows of some.
The general consensus from the list was that Autobahn (dealer) and Havoline
orange juice were acceptable. Sierra was recommended to me by several as
well, but supposedly doesn't have the corrosion inhibitors of the other two.
I have a feeling that as long as it's done regularly, all three would work
ok. With the dealer selling Autobahn for 14.80/gallon, I decided to pony up
and use the blue stuff.
I use latex gloves at times, and they were a big help here--coolant is
slippery stuff, and at a critical moment, it's easy to just rip off a glove
and put on a new one. You can also start with 2 or 3 on each hand, and just
remove one at a time as needed. Lots of dry rags around helps a lot too,
i.e. towels. A wet/dry vac is nice for avoiding that environmental
disaster...
After doing the job three times (I wasn't satisfied with the first attempt
on the 90), I decided the following method was pretty good.
--Remove the spare tire, and the spare tire carrier/skid plate to get them
out of the way.
--Remove the sheet metal on the engine that covers the pushrod tubes
(careful with the exhaust nuts/studs)
--Open all heater controls all way.
--Run the van to get it up to operating temperature, so the thermostat opens
and heat can be felt on the radiator.
--With the back end elevated a bit, pull the radiator hoses and drain them
into a bucket (about 2 gallons comes out here)
--With the front end elevated a bit, remove the drain plugs between pushrod
tubes (about 1 gallon on the first side, maybe 1/2 gallon on the second
side. The factory rebuilt engine has the allen-head plugs, easy to get to.
The older head has the 11mm brass plugs, with teflon tape on the threads. A
standard socket won't fit on the one on the driver's side without crushing
the side of the pushrod tube a little bit. A snap-on short-walled swivel
socket would do nicely, but having neither a snap-on truck or the requisite
cash handy, I dented the tube a little. After these are draining, open the
pressure cap to break the airlock.
--I removed the expansion tank and overflow tank and rinsed them clean with
the garden hose.
--I inserted the prestone T by using an extra section of hose up near the
heater valve in front. (I'm not one to cut a heater hose and add another
part to leak). I attached the garden hose to the hot water source for my
washing machine, since I'm nervous about cold water in a hot engine.
--Turn your engine cover upside down (plastic side down) and position it
over the A/C pulley, so you can still see the expansion tank, but the water
spraying off the pulley won't soak the inside of the van (and you, not that
I would know <g>).
--After replacing the radiator hoses and drain plugs, I put a bucket under
the expansion tank, and turned on the hot water (engine not running yet).
When water started coming out of the expansion tank, I started the engine,
and fast idled it while water gushed out of the expansion tank. After
letting that run for a few minutes (until clear), I stopped the engine,
turned off the hot water, and disconnected the hose, and capped the T. I
moved the hot water hose to the expansion tank, with a valve on the end of
the hose so I could quickly turn it on when needed.
--I started the engine again, and jammed the throttle open at 2000 RPM. I
found that the hot water from the hose wouldn't keep the thermostat open,
and the radiator loop never got flushed, so I brought the hot water in the
engine up to operating temp again in a closed system.
--When the thermostat opens, the expansion tank empties quite suddenly, so
be ready to turn on your hot water hose and keep the expansion tank full.
Once it was staying pretty full, I closed the pressure cap and let it run
for about ten minutes. I had also added a small amount of chemical flush to
the system.
--I then drained the system again, same as before, and removed the T.
Depending on your level of retentiveness, you could flush a second time.
--After replacing hoses and plugs, crack the bleeder screw on the radiator
(don't remove it all the way--that is exciting, especially with the engine
running--again, not that I would know.....) and on the thermostat housing.
--Fill the system. A good method is to add two gallons of coolant first,
then add distilled water until full--this gives the proper ratio if you got
the system reasonably well drained. If you have a way to mix 50/50
beforehand, so much the better. I was able to get a full four gallons in (2
coolant, 2 water). Be sure to also add the 50/50 mixture to the overflow
tank, to the max mark.
--Once filled, raise the front of the van about a foot and bleed the system.
Look for air bubbles--once there are none, close the bleeder screw. You may
need to repeat this several times over a few days to get all the air out.
Same with the bleeder on the thermostat housing.
--Keep an eye on coolant level for a few days and add when the system is
cold.
--Replace the sheet metal down below (I always use anti-seize on exhaust
parts, every time I touch them....always). And unless you like burns on
your forearm (I'm fond of them), let it cool off before doing this step.
--Replace the spare carrier and tire.
--Rinse off the engine lid, close it up. I also try to rinse all the drips
of coolant from all over the engine, spare, hoses, etc. so that I don't get
a nasty shock the next morning when I come out and see coolant on the ground
under my engine compartment, before remembering that I was working on the
cooling system the day before. Makes it easier to isolate new leaks as
well.
--Rinse all the anti-freeze out of your hair, and throw your coolant-soaked
clothing in the wash, call the poison center to inquire about that 1/2 quart
of coolant you accidentally swallowed while under the engine, and grab a
beer....
In all seriousness, be sure the coolant is in a well-sealed container,
preferably inside the garage--animals love it, and they die a slow, painful
death after drinking it. Kids too. You may be able to recycle it, and
sanitary sewers (i.e. down the toilet) are acceptable in some areas as well.
Open sewers (i.e. the gutter in the street and beyond) are not acceptable in
most areas.
HTH,
bmc :)
"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."
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