Date:         Fri, 18 Feb 2005 11:09:00 -0600
Reply-To:     roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Subject:      Update on Engine Overheating Concern
Comments: To: syncrolist@yahoogroups.com, wetwesties@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Volks,



Here's an update of on my Engine Overheating Concern.



Yesterday's Shop Saga: 



Everything appeared normal at idle.

Radiator and hoses are hot.

Fan comes on low speed as it should.

Temp gauge comes up to normal range.

After idling for 30 minutes .... took a 20 minutes test drive.

Temp was normal.

Back to the shop ... let her idle another 20 minutes.



That's when it boiled over.



- - -



Actions:



Fan ..... coming on (slow speed) during idle before test drive as it should.

Resistor .... behind grill thought to be OK because Fan is coming on low speed (see 

above)

Pressure Cap - Replaced

Fuse for Fan - Checked OK

No evidence of water in the oil

No visual evidence of water in exhaust



Thermo Switch Wire - Being Checked

Therma Switch Ground - Being checked now

Combustion gasses into cooling system - Being checked now

Install a 2nd New thermostat - Being done now.



Impaired radiator  .... possibility

Water pump (ie, damaged impeller) .... possibility



- - -



More Detailed Summary of Original Problem.



On the way home from work last Friday the coolant light came on ... butr temp was 

OK.

Pulled over immediatley and found that the main (left) coolant bottle was 3/4 empty 

and the overflow fill bottle was full.

I let the engine cool down and toped off the "Main Coolant Bottle".

Drove home (15 miles) with no problem.

Checked "Main Coolant Bottle" ... it was again 3/4 empty and overflow bottle was 

full.

Topped off the "Main Coolant Bottle" and bleed a little air out of the radiator 

bleed screw.

Saturday morning headed out of town .... got 40-50 miles down the road and red 

coolant light came on, by the time I found a place to 

 pull off the road the temp gauge was at the line just above the LED.

Steam was coming out of the engine compartment.

I found that a previous hose patch on the "Plastic Tubing" that goes around the 

engine compartment (sorry don't know the proper name) had blown off.

Fixed this, refilled the "Main Coolant Bottle" and got back on the road.

Was only able to get 5-6 miles down the road before the engine overheated and 

boiled over.

Made 5-6 attempts to refill and bleed the system .... no improvement.

Made it to a NAPA and got a new thermostat.

Installed ... no improvement. Note ... didn't notcie that the new thermostat was 

actually a bit taller than the orignial and thus ut got "crushed" a bit by the 

thermostat housing. So was not functioning.



At that point I had the van towed to the shop.