Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 09:54:45 -0400
Reply-To: Ben <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: Head leak
In-Reply-To: <001401c7d7c1$4b4d0ff0$6401a8c0@TOSHIBALAP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
Lately, i had a problem with a van, a cooling problem of course, to cut
that very short, i found that the metal cooling tube (1.9L) between pump
and right water jacket, under the pulley, was clogued with a black
stuff, semi solid, the tube was 70% clogued. After a close look at the
pump, the impeller was also full of that stuff.
So i ask the customer what he did but he had just bought the van so he
didn't know... but! under the rear seat we found something similar to
Bars Leak, i don't remember the name, a few tube of that stuff.
So yes, i agree that maybe a little bit of that stuff may help for a
wile, maybe, maybe not. Now, like 95% of van owner that ask me to make
their van as reliable as possible, i don't tell them to put crappy stuff
in the van cooling system, or even some other shitty product in the oil
system, or neither in the fuel.
So ok if you drive your 7 pass. Vanagon around town, but when you leave
for a 3-4 k miles trip with kids in the back... let's be a little more
intelligent about the maintenance of their vans.
This morning, i have 34 messages on my answering machine (bummer), 6 of
those call are people stranded, on those 6, 3 of my customers, on those
3, 2 have problemes that i told them about not so long ago, but they
said NO, and they are now crying.
I work hard to educate people about the maintenance of Vanagons, online
and in my shop, some will listen and go the right way, some won't. I say
educate! i think i can now humbly say so, after a few years working full
time on those vans i have learn a lot, and still learning.
So be it.
Ben
Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
>Ok......now for another opinion.
>I normally almost never use stop leak additives.
>The only one I use is bars leak, and I've never a negative or down side from
>using , no clogged anything ....except the pertinent hole.
>
>'it can't hurt' putting a reasonable amount of into a waterboxer engine.
>It 'might' help seal an external leak out of those joke 'water retention
>gaskets' ...
>That pinch/split, and corrode.
>Of course it's not a real repair, but the most that is at risk is the cost
>of the bars leak, if you're reasonable about it.
>Scott
>www.turbovans.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>Benny boy
>Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 4:40 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Head leak
>
>Sorry to say... but stuff like "Bars Leak" are pure crap! they clogued rad
>and heater core with time. It's like putting a bandaid on an infected wound.
>
>If outer gasket is failing, the inner one will to soon.
>
>Ben
>
>On Sun, 5 Aug 2007 13:54:33 -0500, Wesley Alden Pegden <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU>
>wrote:
>
>
>
>>If all you have is a drip here and there, why not try some "bars leak"
>>
>>
>before pulling heads? My understanding is that the gaskets can "seep" for a
>long time before they need to be replaced, and you can prolong this time by
>stopping the seepage (for example with bars leak).
>
>
>>-Wes
>>'83 1.9l westy
>>'84 1.9l gl
>>
>>
>>On Sun, Aug 05, 2007 at 09:38:18AM -0700, Brendan Slevin wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Ok, so I think Totoro may need a head gasket soon. I've noticed a drip of
>>>coolant here and there and when I try to find the source it seems as
>>>though it's the driver's side head. This is the side that can be done
>>>easily (!) with the enigne in, right? Anything I should be ready to
>>>change at the same time? How long do I have until it absolutley must be
>>>done? I have no coolant in the oil and no hydrocarbons in the coolant
>>>
>>>
>and
>
>
>>>no apparent loss of performance. Hmm. . .
>>>
>>>Brendan
>>>84 GL Totoro
>>>Bend, Oregon
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>
>
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