Date:         Sat, 19 Nov 2005 17:19:52 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Honey I shrunk the coolant pipes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Has anyone had this happen?

For the second winter in a row, my 90 carat with plastic pipes
developed a drip where the rubber radiator hose connects to the long
plastic pipe at a connection visible just aft of the spare tire tray
but above the tire.

And for the second year in a row, I can see exposed white plastic where
the pipe has been pulled out a bit, about a quarter inch or a bit more,
from where it normally fits into the rubber hose. Both times I have
loosened the connection, slid the hose back to its previous position on
the pipe, and tightened the clamp again with nary a drip till cold
weather strikes.

Obviously, there is some amount--looks like a quarter inch--of
contraction in the pipe in cold weather. It seems though that rather
than pulling out of the rubber hose, the pipe would simply move the
rubber hose, which I am sure was meant to compensate for the
temperature-caused movement of the long plastic pipe.

Anyway, it's probably fixed at least until next year. I was wondering
if it was a common phenomenon.

Jim