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Date:         Thu, 14 Apr 2005 12:07:07 -0400
Reply-To:     Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: WTB: coolant tubes

Hello,I have an 85 w/1.9.I had about 7 pinhole leaks at one time--without the pressure cap installed.Looked like a water fountian,the kind one sees in the park. This was when I bought the van.Turns out, only one pipe was bad-the other, still perfect.Dont remember which was bad,as I replaced both.I used plastic pipes from a 2.1. An 86 I believe.I made them fit,but they wont without jerry rigging.I remember that I used a top radiater hose from a Mazda 626 to complete one of the pipes to the engine. The other needed just sections of straight rubber radiater hose.That was 25,000 miles ago.No problems to date.Cant say that for most other systems on the vanagon.I also noticed that the power steering lines were corroded almost through, so I replaced them w/lines from the same 86.Not hard to do.Plain rubber high pressure fuel line can be substituted.I might have used that , but I felt that I was pushing my jerry rigging habbit too far already. The key is that the lines and pipes were corroded from the outside ,to the inside.Only a short section of pipe was subject to this corrosion, and the remainder was still perfectly smooth and clean on the inside all the way up to the radiator.I have seen where people have cut out this section and used a universial radiater hose as replacement(you can walk through a junk yard w/ the cut out metal pipe and match it up w/ a rubber hose from some car). Being a jerry rigger by nature and mandated by finances, this repair looked good to me-really they did.I was impressed with the slick repair these people made.Especially with all the work that I had to do to put the plastic pipes in.Why didnt I think of that, and just skip the plastic? Duh? If one of your steel pipes is still looking good, maybe you should keep it and replace the bad one only.The rubber extention hoses from the front of the pipes to the radiater will also have to be replaced with bigger in diameter hoses from a post 85 van ,if the plastic pipes are used.A note here- plastic pipes for a 1.9 may be avaliable new, or from a late 85 van.Check w/ a VW dealer, or Go Westy.These pipes will fit a 83.5 to a 85. Not a 86 to 91.I got some used ,and will use them to replace my jerry rigging when I get the motovation, and all these other problems I have w/ da van are fixed.The gas tank must be dropped.This is a great time to replace the gas tank rubber seals(be sure to also get seals for the expansion tanks by the front wheels-VW dealer parts).Also, the shifter probably could be accessed better at this time, and a shifter rebuild would probably be in order for both me and you.Maybe you can see why this is a big deal.Not expensive( $100 or $200 extra),only a lot of work.You may check w/venders at the top of this page for pipes, but I wouldnt spend $350 for 2.1 pipes that dont really fit.If you feel very lucky,and the gods owe you favors, maybe your favorite junk yard will have a couple plastic pipes for a 1.9.I wouldnt count on that. Dont waste your time with new or used steel pipes.Used 2.1 pipes will work , but may try you.With first hand hind site, I would say use the universal hose if you cant find used 1.9 pipes.Another note- stainless steel pipes are sometimes avaliable on Ebay at a good price. Roger


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