Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 13:01:26 -0400
Reply-To: Vanagon Man <vgonman@MSN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Vanagon Man <vgonman@MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: 2.1L coolant light problem..diagnosis
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Here is the scoop.
I got the van yesterday, checked for exhaust gas in coolant, none present.
So, I get it up on ramps and start looking around for leaks, and or dried
residue.
I fiddle with the large plastic "T' piece on the right side of the engine,
pushing with one finger where each of the hoses meets........gently, mind
you, just trying to find a coolant weep..........and one of the hoses fell
right off! So I drain the system, remove, and order one from the dealer.
Next thing i find ( the customer always added coolant to the actual
reservoir, and not the overflow..he said that coolant never went anywhere,
and the other was low) so i start inspecting overflow.................turns
out there was a lot of crud in there ( pits of rubber and such) that allowed
coolant to flow IN thru the hose, but not OUT...........I will reassemble
later today and give a full report.
Adam P
81 Westy "The Brick "
70 Single Cab "Whitey"
74 Beetle "Ol Yeller"
73 Transporter (STILL at paint shop)
1988 Vanagon Wolfsburg
1976 Transporter (New CA bus)
1974 412 "Goldmember"
Used Vanagon Parts for sale (mostly aircooled)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Chasse" <chassehsd@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 10:30 AM
Subject: Re: 2.1L coolant light problem
> I agree with Jim.....sounds like a fan problem
> Had a very similar problem myself recently with my 90 water-cooled Carat.
>
> My VW mechanic (Ken Nethkin in Fishersville, VA) replaced the sending unit
> and it seemed to fix the problem initially (I could hear the fan come on).
> However I was still unhappy with the temperature the van would run in
> traffic so he actually replaced the thermostat in the engine....seems that
> by default it was rated to keep the coolant in the engine till it reached
> 190 deg. So he swapped it out for a unit rated to 180 deg (kept the old
one
> to switch out if needs be during the winter). He also put a manual switch
> in so I could engage the fan manually if I was getting a bit anxious in
> traffic).
>
> Ken Wilford has a quick and easy way to trouble shoot the radiator fan
> system at
> http://www.vanagain.com/How2fan.htm
>
> Best luck to your friends
> Joe Chasse
> 90 Carat, Charlottesville VA
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Henry" <jch@JCHGIS.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 9:55 AM
> Subject: Re: 2.1L coolant light problem
>
>
> > This sure sounds exactly like the fans are not working.
> >
> > jim
> > Durham, NC
> > 84 westy
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> > Of Vanagon Man
> > Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 4:29 AM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: 2.1L coolant light problem
> >
> >
> > This is on a neighbor's van............
> >
> > They have a vw reman engine in their van that was installed about 2
years
> > ago, Maybe 30k miles on the motor. They say that the car runs great,
but
> if
> > they get stuck in traffic somewhere, the coolant gauge needle climbs
> almost
> > to the top, and the red light starts flashing............once they get
> > moving again, things get back to normal. He says that he does need to
add
> > coolant periodically to the car. Also, claims it does not leak from the
> > heads, or anywhere else he can see.
> >
> > They recently took it to a shaky vw shop, where they bled the system,
and
> > pressure tested it, and all was supposed to be well.....the mechanic
told
> > him that the system was "air-locked" and needed bled. Well, the problem
> is
> > still occurring, they love the van, and soon have to make the 4500 mile
> > drive to Seattle to relocate.
> >
> > I told him that the first thing i need to check for is exhaust gas in
the
> > coolant. If indeed it is present, he needs a head resealing........I
> cannot
> > think of any other tests to try to stop this for him, other than to be
> sure
> > the radiator fan is working.............
> > .
> > Adam P
> > 81 Westy "The Brick "
> > 70 Single Cab "Whitey"
> > 74 Beetle "Ol Yeller"
> > 73 Transporter (STILL at paint shop)
> > 1988 Vanagon Wolfsburg
> > 1976 Transporter (New CA bus)
> > 1974 412 "Goldmember"
> > Used Vanagon Parts for sale (mostly aircooled)
>
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