Date:         Wed, 21 Aug 2002 11:13:54 -0400
Reply-To:     Dustin Fitch <dfitch@MASSINSIGHT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dustin Fitch <dfitch@MASSINSIGHT.COM>
Subject:      '85 Vanagon Sunroofy 1.9L - Coolant BLeeding/Thermostat/Fan Switch
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hey y'all.  Recently did some work on the metal coolant lines on my Vanagon
after an overheating incident.  I lost alot of fluid and assume I have taken
on alot of air.  After my coolant line fix, I'm experiencing
overheating/knocking of the pipes underneath like the pipes in an old house
with steam heat.  I am now in the process of bleeding the system.  Can you
folks check me on the process I'm using to bleed?  I've poured over the
archives about  this and thermostats (which I have a question on too! I'm a
little scared!).

To bleed my system:  At the start I filled the main water tank and filled
the reservoir.  I started the motor.  There is a bleeder valve coming off a
hose at the top back of my motor.  I open that and boy, talk about steam
heat...that baby is just steaming mad like crazy.  My motor does not heat up
past half way on the gauge though.  So, I let that run a while at 2000 rpm.
I shut down.  Let the bleeder hissing stop and recap it.  As the system
cools down I can hear water in the system kind of sucking through
there...not sure which way.  Eventually, the main water tank drinks the
reservoir and as it does, I fill the reservoir until it stops drinking,
careful not to let it suck air.  Then, I start over.

The first time I did this, it didn't drink a whole lot...but the second and
third times I did, it took a good drink.  Well, that third time, the steam
was still just as strong as ever and the only time I get a little bit of
coolant to come out is when I shut down and as it cools, then the steam
pisses out with some coolant.

So, if I keep doing this, am I on the right track to getting all that air
out?  If there is a bleeder valve on the radiator up front on the bottom, I
sure as hec cannot find it.  The only one I see is coming off this hose at
the top back of my motor.  I mean, it may take longer using just this
bleeder, but will I get it eventually if I keep doing what I'm doing?

I ordered a thermostat when I was ordering some other parts....thinking,
maybe I'm also having a thermostat problem.  I've read the archives and see
that people have had alot of trouble getting the lower thermo. housing past
the exhaust....is it a real crazy job?...I know I'll have rusty bolts, I
know it.  Am I right that if I have heat on the motor and not at the
radiator after warm up, that means the thermostat is not opening up??

One last thing:  My fan does not go on either.....I just got this van and it
turns out the fan was disconnected under the spare tire!!!  Connecting it,
I've only had it go on once....i prompted it with a stick....it went
on...but then did not wanna ever shut off!!  Next time I started van and
heated up, it would not come on, even with a prompt with the stick.  Sound
like the switch to y'all?  I know the fan will work.....I saw it
once!....but never again.

Sorry for the wordiness, I'm just having this "series" of problems after the
system blew the other day.

Thanks,
Dustin '85 Vanagon -  "Chuba"