Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (March 2007, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:12:08 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Air in cooling sysetm..found it...(was burping the cooling system)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

A few days ago I was wondering if burping the cooling system quite often was a normal thing for Vanagons. Mine has a transplanted Cabriolet motor ('92 inline four)..Well, many responded and I got the system air-free after following many hints and finding some potential leaking areas which I have ordered parts for ...rear heater valve, for one. But, I decided to also check for a blown headgasket, because the van would run cool and normal for a week or two and then re-acquire air bubbles and start being weird. Also, upon start up, sometimes the van would run on only 3 cylinders for a few seconds...A hint that all was not right... So, I put compressed air into the expansion tank...just removed the overflow hose and put about 20psi into the pressure cap. Removed the spark plugs to do this, thinking I might be able to hear some hissing or see some coolant in a cylinder...No hissing, but I could see some Dextron color on one piston. Reached into the plug hole with a small tube and withdrew some coolant from off the piston...Aha!..so, a leaking headgasket.. Went over onto the Bently pages on the net(they have a discussion forum for many models that they write manuals for, not as good as this group, but useful) and found the VW I-4 motors, and especially the deisels, are also prone to headgasket leaking. Some posters said they were successful using Barrs Leak to stem the flow...Well, since I have a bunch of parts and the Cabriolet manual on order now, I decided to try Barrs, or something like it as a temp. fix..Used this new style Barrs leak-repair stuff that is called "Headgasket Repair compound" or something and isn't that black chunky goo we've probably all tried. Anyhow, this new stuff actually worked! You must flush all the antifreeze out and follow directions, but it certainly stopped the leaking (which was not a large leak, probably)..Probably the "Nano-particals" the marketeers mentioned on the label....right.. So there you go..$10 bucks and an unpleasant few hours with a face full of coolant and I have a fix...at least until I can get around to doing the headgasket replacment..and lots of other 'while I am in there' stuff. Thanks for all the hints on bleeding the system...I have that down now, too. Don Hanson


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.