Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 08:10:54 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Keller <kelphoto@HIGHSPEEDPLUS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Keller <kelphoto@HIGHSPEEDPLUS.COM>
Subject: Re: 2.1 WBX eating coolant.
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Greetings Mick,
I have had this problem in the past I have solved it. What was
happening on my system isn't' entirely clear but , one day I was under
the van with a good strong light source and notice dry coolant colored
stains on a few of my hose connections. It seems as if the connections
were ok while the engine was cold and then warmed up, but they appeared
to leak slowly as the engine went from hot to cold, i.e. after being
driven. since the leaks were small, i.e. seepage or weepage, and the
engine was hot, the liquid evaporated before dripping off the van. In
fact many Vanagons leaks on tanks and failed plastic pipes, like the
manifold distributor, can be seen as dried coolant stains. Wipe the
area off and look again in a week. If the stain reappears, start
checking after the van has set for 10 minutes or so. I had several of
these connections so the effect was a empty tank every week or two.
Well, I went though a series of failed attempts to correct the problem.
First I noticed that the offending clamps were relatively loose, so I
retightened them. Incidentally the method I use, it to tighten the
clamp on the hose until you can rub your finger across the clamp hose
area and not feel the clamp's band protruding, then give the screw an
addition 1/4 to 1/2 turn. But when I checked on the connection in a
couple of weeks to a month later I found that the clamps loosened up
again .. So I installed new stainless steel hose clamps, diesel style
vibration resistant hose clamps, cleaning the connections, removing the
hose and scuffing up the plastic pipe, etc. , etc. Still clamps that
seem to need retightened and I'm still getting this weepage.
Well then it seemed that only it was only the screw type or worm gear
type hose connections that were causing the problem-- Not all of my worm
gear type clamps were weeping, especially the ones on over metal pipes.
But only the worm gear clamps over some plastic pipes. After agonizing
over the next step, I decided to reinstall the VW spring type clamps and
just buy the spring clamp pliers. NO LEAKS, I haven't added coolant
since. I'm told that the spring type clamps do go bad, on occasion, so
be advised that a new spring clamp may be needed if you originally
removed a spring clamp in favor of a worm style clamp.
Not the best ending to a story, but a possible conclusion seems to be
the thermal expansion and contraction of plastic pipes with hose,
require some type of variable force to be applied to maintain a leak or
weep free connection on long term basis.
Sincererly,
Mark Keller
91 Carat
Cowichan Bay
Vancouver Island, BC
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