Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:02:54 -0400
Reply-To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: Overheating Advice
Welcome Ben...
A vanagon cooling system is a solid one, even if the eng. had a hard time
converting from an air-cool design to a water cool one.. they made a miracle
doing so, they did a good job.
the rad is not the "Classic" problem, at all, those rad are solid like rock.
Not that they don't go wrong but in average, it's NOT my first choice.
Bad water pump is not likely... even worn they do the job.
So what else.. thermostat and thermostat housing gave me problem lately.
Saldy, my first choice in that kind of problem is those stupid head gasket.
Please search the archive on it because i don't have the energy to write all
again on the subject. THIS IS WHY THIS GREAT MAILING LIST SHOULD MOVE TO A
MODERN FORUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But very quick, if the head gasket are starting to leak hot air/ pressure
into the cooling system, that system is boiling.. with way more pressure it
can handle (Cavitation/stagnation). Now, if it does that, the EX tank should
be full of bubble when hot and the refill tank should slighly be over fill.
That is only if the EX tank cap is doing it's job. A leak down WON'T work
when cold but COULD be when hot... same for compression test. A tricky one
if i may say.
To be more thecnical, the only real good test is this one:
http://www.benplace.com/pressure_test.htm
This test, when fully hot, reving the engine will tell you if the head
gasket are leaking air into the system.
I'm NOT saying the rad is NOT the problem... at all, anyway, if you don't
know the condition of this one... just change it!!!
I hope that help a bit.
Best regards, Ben
http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:53:46 -0600, Ben Cichowski <cichowski@MONTANA.EDU> wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>I'm pretty new to owning a Vanagon - bought an '88 Wolfburg Weekender in
>Iowa and drove it back home 1300 miles to Montana with very few, if any
>problems.
>
>Now, it is overheating. It did this only for very brief moments on the
>interstate drive back home, but now it does it all the time. I've searched
>through archives and tried nearly everything (I'd be glad to write this up
>to share with other newbies, but want to get to the question at hand).
>Thought it was the fan/thermo switch at first....but....
>
>The hose feeding coolant to the radiator is hot, and the one exiting is
>cold. I'm thinking both should be fairly hot (within 20-30 degrees of each
>other at least) So, I'm down to two possibilities (I think...)
>
>1. Plugged radiator - I completely pressure flushed out the radiator and
>filled with the proper mix of fluid (this did not work). The passenger side
>of the radiator gets warm, but the driver's side does not. It stays cold
>enough that the fan does not turn on (I've check or replaced every
>possibility associated with the fan as a few things needed to be done
>anyway- switch, resistor, fan motor, fuses, etc).
>
>2. Weak water pump - according to the guy who sold it to me, he put in a new
>water pump 5K ago, so I am guessing it is not this??
>
>Do any veterans have advice?
>Is there a RIGHT way to trouble shoot this?
>
>I think I am still looking at a plugged radiator. I got water to flush
>through it under garden-hose pressure, but a lot of grey water came out and
>I know 40 psi is a lot more than what the water pump puts out. I am living
>on Montana wages with a new baby on the way so I am hesitant to take a
>chance on buying a new radiator for 200 if it is just a guess. Please Help!
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