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Date:         Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:22:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Expansion tank cap operation...
Comments: To: lists@MYCOMMUNITYNET.NET
In-Reply-To:  <20050828190907.xwnngfvlntcscwo0@mycommunitynet.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

The pressure cap should hold ~14 psi. The first step of any cooling system repair is to pressure test the system, especially the cap. The line can not be closed off. As the engine heats and cools, the coolant will expand. If the line can not vent, then a hose has to blow or something else has fail. The cap has an inlet check valve to allow the coolant to return from the second tank each time the engine cools.

The actual detent you feel is in the transmission. The alignment is a cable adjustment or ready to fail issue. Make sure the accelerator cable is properly adjusted so the transmission kicks down when the pedal is floored.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Aaron Robinson Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2005 7:09 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Expansion tank cap operation...

Hello all.

First, I just purchased my first Westfalia...a brown '85 automatic. Overall, it's a good vehicle, but there are a few questions that I have. How does $2500 for a dirty, but functional Westy sound?

So, here are my issues so far...

1) I was trying to figure out the hot running. So I started to bleed/fill the cooling system and noticed when filling the radiator from the front (I know...not bentley procedure) that the expansion tank cap would pour out coolant through the cap nipple even though there was very little pressure on it. Is this normal, or should it hold a lot more pressure than that. Can I just temporarily clamp off the hose that goes to the other expansion tank?

The other expansion/fill tank (the one behind the license plate) gets overfull from this...it also has a small hole in it which gets rid of all of the nice blue coolant that I just put in there.

I don't know if this van is blowing exhaust gasses into the cooling system or that it just has a lot of air in it from a bad cap and tank.

2) It's my first auto vanagon. The shifter up front has very "soft" detents for the shift selector. The are also off by 1...D=N, 2=D, etc. Is there any way to improve this and or the soft feel? What kind of ATF should be used? I used Dexron III. Is that OK? Anything else that should be done/known about he Automatic?

3) What's the best way to clean the velvety top of the poptop. Mine has remnants of mold there...not pretty to look at.

I think that's all for now. Other than being dirty and having a few extra screw holes in cabinets from accessories that are no longer installed, it is in fairly good shape.

Thanks! Aaron


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