Date:         Thu, 29 May 2003 08:07:14 -0700
Reply-To:     gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      pissing and moaning coolant
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

matthias,
        I would not assume that anyone did anything
wrong.   It is time to do a compression check.   It is
likely that   a head has headed south and anyone who
bled the system may or may not be the cause or driving
with too little coolant could be the cause.   If you
are lucky perhaps the head is a little loose but I am
betting you need a new head so save your sheckles.
Let us know what the compression check shows.   If you
need any help please e-mail.   gary
Date:    Thu, 29 May 2003 02:12:46 -0700
From:    zampano <matthias.k@ATTBI.COM>
Subject: once again exhaust blowing into coolant

Hi Volks,

I am rather certain now that the people who fixed my
van under warranty
last Feb messed up again, here's why:

- after about two weeks since I got the van back in
Feb I would find a
small puddle of coolant underneath the rear of the
engine after it
would sit overnight. Turned out to be the vent hole in
the water pump.
They replaced it under warranty 11/2 months ago. Van
ran perfectly
smooth otherwise, except I had to keep a close eye on
the coolant
level, top it up and bleed it every week or so. ( $ 80
in blue coolant
from VW). I thought this was because of the vent hole
in the water
pump.

- I seem to need to top it off way more than it could
possibly whiz out
overnight from that vent hole in the water pump

- I don't see any white smoke, at least not when it
idles. Don't see
anything in my rear view either.

- Bleeding was never quite successful to the tune of
having no more
bubbles at the bleed screw on top of the radiator.
Even if I parked
with the front elevated almost 12", left it overnight,
and then would
bleed it in the morning for up to 15 mins, with
topping off the coolant
tank continuously, I would still get bubbles. It would
then run fine,
i.e. temp indicator needle never above the LED. My
radiator fan would
turn on, and all would be honky dory for some time,
until the coolant
would get low again. Doing the bleeding improperly can
be absolutely
ruled out (Bentley, Archives, list input etc)
The time for it seemingly being alright has been
continuously
decreasing over time.

- After a period of time from bleeding the temp needle
would start
acting weird, jump up suddenly beyond the LED (never
very far, as I
would stop and check right away. When it did this the
radiator fan
would then not come on. It usually pops on right
before the LED.

- If I removed the coolant fill cap,( which is also
about 2 months old,
with another new one before that which I replaced
after 2 months (end
of March)) there would be pressure (gas) hissing out.
I am talking
about in the morning, before I start the van, when it
is cold.

- The coolant expansion tank (behind license plate)
would quickly fill
up, but would never drain back into the coolant tank
itself. I would
"manually" empty it every week and transfer it thus
into my coolant
tank

- My water pumps, even the one they replaced under
warranty, would
quickly start whizzing over night. Never saw any leak
from there with
the engine running, with the van being warm or just
pulling of the
freeway, or having a friend idle it at 4000 rpm. No
leak anywhere,
whatsoever. Only overnight. This should be a clear
signal that there's
too much pressure in the cooling system (read:
exhaust???)

- Just tonite while cruising on the freeway (30 min
drive) at around,
never over 4000 rpm, the LED at the coolant temp gauge
would start
flashing, shortly followed by a climbing needle to
3/4. I immediately
pulled to the emergency lane, broke out my flash light
and saw no leak.
Radiator was warm, but no fan coming on. Let it cool
down and took the
coolant cap off. Lots of air escaping, and much to my
surprise plenty
of coolant in the tank as well as the expansion tank.
I then did a
bleeding procedure, and added about 1/2 gallon of
50/50 mixed blue
coolant. Temp gauge needle now a good 1/8" below LED.
Finished bleeding
and let it idle, temp gauge rises, fan pops on, stays
steady, and I
drive home (5 min).

- Over all, the engine never overheated. The gauge
needle would just
start behaving weird. Except for tonight and 4 days
ago. But even then
the gauge needle would not pass 3/4 as I would pull
over right away.

This must be another failed head gasket.
Does anybody know where I can get a block tester that
chemically tests
if there is exhaust in my coolant???

Looks like I am going to ask the shop that did the
work for a full
refund or take them to Small Claims.

Fun, fun, fun

Any input greatly appreciated.

Happy trails

matthias, 1984 WBX Wolfy Manual

p.s. if anybody wants to read the full story about the
hassles with my
rebuilder, go to the archives, put in zampano as the
author, during
late dec 02 and Jan /Feb 03


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