Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 17:50:34 -0500
Reply-To: chris Moyles <chris@FAUQUIERHOUSING.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: chris Moyles <chris@FAUQUIERHOUSING.ORG>
Subject: oil in coolant... a strange event!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Howdy Everyone,
86 syncro ... 95 K Had her for 5 K.
One the way to work yesterday-, she was running great... Just checked
everything out a couple days back when I upgraded the headlights.
Temp normal, then a miss, then coolant light, then every warning light !
So I immediately shut her down and coasted in ...
No coolant in either tank, no visible leaks(oil or coolant) anywhere-
none on cardboard I put underneath while I grabbed the Bentley Manual.
None overnight.
Pulled the dipstick- foamy and obviously full of coolant.... blown
head?
After an AAA ride home- just for fun, reached in and turned the key and
she fired right up!( I shut her down again immediately.) So maybe not
a blown head?
Drained the coolant/oil mix out today-
Next steps...
Coolant system pressure test and compression tests as soon as I can hunt
down a vw coolant pressure tester adapter-
A couple questions...
Anyone ever heard of the oil cooler blowing out and dumping coolant into
the oil system? Gonna pull the oil cooler and pressure test it as soon
as the weather breaks.
Left head was rebuilt at 68 k and the right head was rebuilt at 71 K.
What should I run through the block to flush out any water/coolant left
in there?
How'd all that coolant get into the oil without creating a bigger mess?
Something internal in the water jacket obviously, but what...
Now to make the slow move from shade tree mech to vw vanagonaut.
Funny thing is, I'm actually looking forward to trouble shooting this
thing out- best case scenario- blown oil cooler... worst case, I get
to put a 2.5 TDI in...
We shall see after the pressure tests.
THe PO did all this work to her over the years, and kept every
receipt...guess its my turn to carry on the tradition...
Any info, advice, encouragement, etc would be great.
chris
86 vw syncro repair log per received reciepts from PO.
Date Mileage: Service Cost
1/1/1991 Tint side windows $50
10/9/1991 Tint all windows $150
11/11/1991 "28,483" Paint and trim
"$1,468.14 "
11/23/1994 "58,038" repack all cv joints
$378.98
11/23/1994 relace all belts
11/23/1994 exhaust leak
11/23/1994 "fuel filter, spark plugs, air filter"
11/23/1994 cv boots
12/1/1994 "55,285" replace front halfshafts
$996.00
4/30/1997 "66,750" replace exhaust pipes
$699.79
4/30/1997 "r,f, y pipe"
4/30/1997 l.rear. Inner cv boot
10/21/1997 "68,550" replace L. cylinder head
$693.06
10/21/1997 repair broken cylinder bolts
10/21/1997 replaced waterpump
10/21/1997 (replaced L. head gasket)
3/26/1998 reservoir ? $68.67
4/20/1998 "70,180" ignition wires 1095.57
4/20/1998 airflow meter
4/20/1998 oxygen sensor
4/20/1998 spark plugs
4/20/1998 fuel filter
6/9/1998 "70,254" throttle valve switches
$206.23
6/9/1998 rotor
6/9/1998 temp sensor
8/17/1998 "71,345" replace front brakes
$246.95
12/22/1998 replace coolant flange on
$72.47
12/22/1998 r cylinder head
12/22/1998 replace 1 rear lid dampener
10/13/1999 "74,932" replace all rear cv boots
$280.81
10/13/1999 clean and repack joints
10/13/1999 replace connector pipe
10/13/1999 connector exhaust
5/23/2001 Replace right electric mirror
$160.75
7/13/2001 "79,596" Brakes: $203.92
7/13/2001 Master cylinder
7/13/2001 Brake fluid
7/13/2001 Bumper:
7/13/2001 2 bumper ends
8/6/2001 "79,768" Viscous Coupling
"$1,396.50 "
8/6/2001 tires and spare
8/22/2001 Replace muffler and tailpipe
$198.81
8/22/2001 rework brackets and straps
5/16/2002 "81,171" replace clutch
"$1,446.45 "
5/16/2002 flywheel
9/16/2002 "81,836" replace rear brakes
$266.84
10/17/2002 "82,138" rear wheel brake cylinder?
$297.20
10/17/2002 fix leaks
6/10/2003 "85,442" 90k service $194.14
6/10/2003 replace front brakes
total: "$10,571 "
