Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Sat, 1 May 2004 12:28:53 -0400
Reply-To:     robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Hello Everyone, I am back on the list and  Need your Help....
In-Reply-To:  <135.2e5af30a.2dc4d553@aol.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hello to all the Vanagon owners out there, hope all is well out there Vanagon land,

Robert Stewart in NYC with the burnt Christmas Vanagon (blue carat) http://homepage.mac.com/rmstewart

Well I am still have not purchased another Van but I have I am looking again.

I found one but have some questions for all the experts out there about some it's problems and am hoping you ladies and gentlemen might be able to help me out.

Here's the deal. The van is is a Blue 89 Carat just like my old one but selling for $1K dollars, it has had one owner before the person who has it now. That person purchased it new in 1989, and it has 160K miles and with a rebuilt engine at 114K miles. It has been with the current owner for 1 year and he put on 4-5,000 miles on it during that year and did some camping in it.

View it here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=63380

The good things: Rebuilt Engine 114K New Exhaust New Water Pump New Master Brake Cylinder

The bad:

Rust: It has some very rust around rear hatch, paint is chipping off there as well, has a minor dent on the hatch as well, nothing that could not be pulled out. Has some rust around the as well and in the passenger side rear wheel well fender flare, inside the front Driver and Passenger side foot wells and some small spots on the hood. All rust areas have had inhibitor placed on all areas of rust on the car. (I figure that all of that could be sanded out and repainted eventually)

Rear Wiper not operational. Not sure if it's a motor issue and owner never looked into it.

Transmission Slowly Leaking Fluid: Strong Tight Transmission though when driving. (Is it possible the screen needs to be replaced? And new fluid needs to be added?) Current owner says I he tops it off once every couple of months. Not a major issues he says.

Here's the big one: Temp Gauge Overheating: Coolant bubbling out of the overflow tank when the vehicle is stopped at a red light, fine while in the driveway for 30 min at idle. Says the Radiator is Cool and he had the mechanic Bleed Lines, and that there is Good pressure present. Fan's are Ok, and heaters all work, air conditioner works but is not blowing cold. Oil is 20w30

I assume this could be the following: ( From the archives fellow Vanagon owners....)

*Clogged radiator which could need a flushing, and cleaning

* A crack in the coolant tanks, crack in one of the hoses letting air in.

*A crack in the expansion tank located on the coolant level sensor boss may be letting air in preventing the tank from sucking the coolant back and could be causing it to overflow.

*A leak down test would also determine if there an issue with the gaskets. May not be a cracked gasket if the engine was rebuilt 46K miles ago.****

While the engine is revving, the combustion gasses are getting into the cooling system. You do not see the "bubbles" while the engine in being revved due to water pump pulling through the coolant tank. When the engine returns to idle, the pump pulls less allowing the air the enter the tank quickly, releasing the bubbles. This is why both the cooling systems on water boxers have problems after extended highway runs. The gasses keep building up until there is no place to go and they either vapor lock the pump or blow everything out the relief valve.

-That's *exactly* the symptoms I had with a cracked head on my diesel Westy. While driving the combustion gases seemed to accumulate in the radiator, in fact the entire top half of the radiator would end up *cold*.

*cracked head ( I assume not as the owner had it at the mechanics just recently and did not want to get into fixing the van so he told the owner to just sell it for parts additionally the owner told the mechanic he was going to purchase a Westy so the mechanic just wants the problem off his hands.

Other issues: Transmission Slowly Leaking Fluid: Strong Tight Transmission though. (Screen may need to be replaced*)

Small Oil Leak: Add about 1 quart a year (4-5K miles during year) A small blot where standing. Oil Filter and screen cleaning.*

So what I am wondering now it what you guys think? What do you think it will cost to fix the coolant issue, the transmission and small oil leak (which could just be normal)?

I have very little funds so that is why I am looking at this fixer upper. If I had lots of cash I would purchase something in far better shape.

I know the old adage, "you get what you pay for".. I just want to know if you think I could make it reliable. I am not concerned with making pretty at the moment. Thanks again.

Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it.

Regards to all,

Robert NYC


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