Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 19:38:34 -0700
Reply-To: zampano <matthias.k@ATTBI.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: zampano <matthias.k@ATTBI.COM>
Subject: Re: pissing and moaning coolant
In-Reply-To: <20030529150714.73129.qmail@web41308.mail.yahoo.com>
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Hi all
I am just wondering why the vent hole on the water pump would piss
overnight and leave a puddle, with a new coolant cap, and right after a
rebuild (new AMC heads, rebuilt bottom end).
I would also wonder why there's pressure on a cold coolant system, and
why my expansion tank fills up, but never drains back into the coolant
tank. Also, why do I still get bubbles after bleeding it for 15 min???
I did this for three days in a row, and have been doing it steadily
over the past 3 months. To the tune of almost every week/ 350miles.
Where does the 1 gallon of coolant go every week, and now every day.
Thru that little hole in the water pump?? I doubt it. All this is
happening with almost every peripheral part on the engine having been
replaced in the last year. Items like coolant cap 2 times in last three
months, twice in the year before that.
A compression test won't necessarily be able to pinpoint a head gasket
leak. Those rubber gaskets behave different at random it seems. I have
done a compression test before, while having all these symptoms, and it
came out 145-155 psi all around. The engine overheated at random 1
month later, and was due to a internal head gasket leak. And it was
properly bled, and filled up at the time.
That was with an engine with 145000 miles, as opposed to now it did it
after 10000 miles and currently seems to be doing it at about 3300
miles.
Sure as hell a piece of work
Happy Trails and thanks for the interest.
Cheers
Matthias
On Thursday, May 29, 2003, at 08:07 am, gary hradek wrote:
> 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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