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Date:         Mon, 3 Dec 2007 14:26:44 -0500
Reply-To:     chris Moyles <chris@FAUQUIERHOUSING.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         chris Moyles <chris@FAUQUIERHOUSING.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Overheated Westy '87
In-Reply-To:  <000001c835e0$3b660fb0$6401a8c0@TOSHIBALAP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I had much the same event happen, only the "blow out" occurred in one of the hard plastic fittings that circle the engine cover latch.

chris

Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote: > Sounds like you're doing the right thing/s anyway. > I'd just check for obvious weak hoses and things like that. > I'm more of the school of 'keep tabs on things' and stay alert, > As opposed to just replacing hoses and things that are still good. > If you want to go replacing hoses that are still ok.......fine I suppose. > I regard vanagon hoses as exceptionally well made mostly .... > The only one I know of that is prone to failure especially is on automatic > trans vanagons, > - that hose over the bell housing and torque converter, other than that > one, and carrying some good used spare hoses and clamps and other parts, > like a spare t-stat say, ( or t-stat housing ! - or converting to the metal > syncro one ) .....I just keep an eye on things. > There are so many cooling system parts through out the entire van, you > could never replace all of them proactively, it would be cheaper to buy > another vanagon, there are that many plastic cooling system parts and hoses. > Possibly a hundred parts or more, all together. > There's this hose nipple like thing under the alternator, a small hose > flange bolted to the block - some were plastic, and they break. I've > gotten replacement ones that were metal. > You might want to check that. > It's rare, but that plastic water distribution box on the firewall, right > side, underneath where you can't see it too well, I've not seen one fail, > but I've heard about it. > It goes on and on, so many cooling system parts you could almost never > know that every last one is new or nearly new. > I still invite, or defy, anyone to count, and come up with a number, of how > many actual small and large hoses there are on an 86 or later, either syncro > with rear heater, or auto trans 2WD with rear heater, vanagon. Engine and > transmission area alone is about 15 or more hoses. > scott > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of > Bill Stokes > Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 10:24 AM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Overheated Westy '87 > > While crusin' over a long bridge I threw my belts and the alternator > light went on first, then a few minutes later the temp light went on with > about 2 miles left to be able to coast into a service station off the > bridge. All the coolant was lost and it got so hot it melted the upper > thermostat housing where the coolant escaped. Since this incident, I > have put about 700 miles on the car in city and highway driving > conditions keeping close tabs for any coolant loss under the engine > and/or oil consumption. So far, there has been no evidence of any damage > using these two criteria. The car runs as good as it ever did. > > My question is what areas should targeted for more trouble shooting since > this car got very hot. Should all the hoses be changed because of the > risk of integrity loss due to the high heat. Also, what other components > should be checked if any. I don't want to have a catastrophic failure on > a trip due to this heat event. I am thinking positively and feeling that > after 700 miles, no fluid loss, good running, and no oil consumption I > may have dodged the bullet. Any comments would be appreciated as to the > best thing to ensure any future failures as a result of this event. > > Bill in St. Petersburg > > >


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