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Date:         Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:00:47 -0700
Reply-To:     mjcatlin@PACBELL.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Catlin <mjcatlin@PACBELL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Overheating Advice
Comments: To: Ben Cichowski <cichowski@MONTANA.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <C31FCE9A.1591%cichowski@montana.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

You should test to rule out a clogged radiator and a bad thermostat. Here is what I would do:

Remove the grille and with engine hot and rad fan running, spray water on the front of the radiator. Watch while the water dries. Radiator tubes that dry first have good flow. The ones that stay wet are clogged.

Remove the thermostat and check the minimum temperature required to get it to begin opening. Compare this temp with the spec in the Bentley manual.

Mike Catlin, Davis Calif.

> -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of > Ben Cichowski > Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 7:54 AM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: [VANAGON] Overheating Advice > > 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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