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Date:         Sun, 4 May 2003 23:19:53 -0400
Reply-To:     Dan Barrett <dan@OFFTHEHILL.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dan Barrett <dan@OFFTHEHILL.ORG>
Subject:      help w/coolant tests
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Volks, I'm trying to pinpoint the cause of a leak -- every now and then I come back to the bus to find that it's marked its spot (right under driver's side front cylinder, see photo: <http://www.offthehill.org/~dan/images/bus/guilty_party.jpg>). I got a coolant system pressure tester, and hooked it up for the cold and hot tests (setup photo: <http://www.offthehill.org/~dan/images/bus/the_setup.jpg>). Pumped it up to 14.5psi as specified by Bentley; no leakage whatsoever. Pressure held steady in three consecutive tests. When I went to do the hot test, something was amiss: even when the bus reached operating temperature, the pressure test gauge showed no pressure (<http://www.offthehill.org/~dan/images/bus/normal_temp_no_pressure>). I let it cruise at operating temp for about ten minutes before deciding that I must be doing something wrong. As the engine cooled down (coolant was at about 70° C, still no pressure on the guage), I noticed that the test plug was slowly moving out of the reservoir neck. Just as my brain registered "RUN!", I backed away and the thing blew a nice geysir of antifreeze everywhere -- I was far enough away and was wearing eye protection, so no biggie, but boy is there a lesson in shop safety there. So, couple of questions: 1) Am I using the test rig wrong? There had to have been pressure in the system. 2) I blew off about a half-liter of coolant. Do I have to bleed the system, or can I just top off the main reservoir until it overflows and then cap it?

Many thanks for all your help, d. 1990 GL -- "Mudskipper"


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