Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2007 17:46:54 -0700
Reply-To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Sudden head gasket coolant catastrophic leaking
In-Reply-To: <469027AD.7000304@phas.ubc.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
There is only one place IMHO in the Vancouver area and that is The Bug Stop
in Delta.
604-589-2236
On 7/7/07, Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@phas.ubc.ca> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> oh man, I thought my van is running now. Did it for about 1500km, but
> today suddenly lost all its coolant, luckily a guy behind me on the
> highway called my attention right away. I did not see anything and the
> water temp did not yet rise. Well I pulled over the next exit. Again
> lucky was only 500m away, and then the temp gauge was rising quickly. So
> to the next parking lot and shut down the engine before it overheats!
> But what the hack was going on? Temp was always good, never reved it
> above 3000 rpm in these first 1500km. Oil pressure was good (yes the
> installed oil gauge is working fine ;-))
> And suddenly I loose all my water. After waiting to let the engine cool
> down a bot, I was able to look and lie underneath the engine and saw
> that the head gasket was pushed out for about 0.5 inch and thats where
> it leak. I added a bit of distilled water in the expansion tank and it
> pulled out right away right at this point (at the rear end of the right
> head, about midway between top and bottom of the head). What could have
> happened? When I rebuilt the engine, I torqued the heads to the specs
> indicated in the Bentley. I inspected the studs and they did not seem to
> be in bad shape so I did not replace them. Is this an indication that
> one stud broke? Yesterday I drove and was in a traffic jam and it was
> very hot, but everything worked fine, the water temp never rose more
> then just above the light position.
> I don't know but thats kind of weired. Perhaps not for you experts, but
> for me, as it drove without problems up to this point. I changed the
> expansion head cap just two days before as well, and all water was in,
> not indication of a small leak anywhere.
> Well I am quite frustrated now, I must admit, just thought I let you
> know, perhaps you have some advice. The thing is I do not have much time
> now to fix this major thing. I am quite busy at work. Do you Vancouver
> guys have a good recommendation, where to put it? I let it tow to
> Blenheim at 12th/Arbutus, just because I heard they are very nice guys.
> So I assume they don't rip me off. But perhaps there are other places?
> Anyway have a nice week-end and enjoy the sun, I have to recover a bit
> form this disappointment today though.
> Cheers
> Thomas
>
--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
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