Date:         Mon, 6 Jun 2005 06:36:54 -0700
Reply-To:     Wognacious <wognacious@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wognacious <wognacious@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fwd: Re: How can this be?
Comments: To: rrecardo@webtv.net
In-Reply-To:  6667
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

The reason it was off in the first place is that it simply came off Thursday night on my way home. As I recall the last time I drove it prior to Thursday was over the previous weekend and I did kinda bottom it out up front driving around in a construction area. There was a dirt berm that I need to get past to get to a better dirt road to drive on. That may be the culprit. I'm also pretty sure that when I reconnected the spring clamp the first time I didn't get it properly seated because I was too lazy to take the lower radiator support bracket off to get the clamp on correctly. I will pressurize the system again and see if the clamp holds.

' ' <rrecardo@webtv.net> wrote:
Let me ask you this.

What wa the reason the hose / clamp was off the first time ?

You changed the hose?
You changed the clamp?
Or the hose just blew off by itself?

This doesn't happen all of a sudden, unless of course the hose is rotten
and self destructed.

The Vanagon I'm driving had the radiator changed in 96 (or it was
manufactured in 96 according to the sticker on the bottom of it so it
may be newer )

The Van starts blowing hoses, one by one, day by day, month by month.

So I buy all new hoses and replace them all.

Now I'm getting slipping hose clamps too.
and not just the spring type, the good aircraft clamps also.

What the--------??

Just for grins I run the Van for about an hour and remove the grills.
I put my hand flat on the radiator.
Top and bottom.

The top half is dead cold, the bottom half is hotter than----.

I changed the radiator.

I cut the 50 lbs. one apart ( I can't believe how heavy it was with the
corrosion)

The tube are so choaked up with garbage I have no idea how the thing
cooled anything down at all.

And the bonus plan is I haven't popped a hose since.

If the radiator is 1/4, 1/2, or whatever plugged pressure will build
beyond the old hoses / clamps capability.
The system must be able to circulate coolant properly or it will start
blowing hoses.