Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:10:08 EDT
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: '85 GL manual - Draining old coolant
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 09/04/2008 2:10:46 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
In order to fully replace the steel pipes, i believe you have to have the
gas tank out, and the car jacked up REALLY high. I participated in the
pulling of coolant pipes from an '85 parts van, and it was pretty tricky. It
had me pretty convinced that there was no way i'd be replacing mine that
way. I just cannot fathom how you would INSTALL the pipes (Ya obviously the
opposite of how you took them out). With the transmission and engine in
place, i could see it being tricky.
So....
I cut my pipes off with a sabre saw at different points, purchased some
marine grade soft hose sections, took the "donor pipes" and cut them in
their respective locations, and coupled it all together with a handful of
stainless steel hose clamps. This should last me a few years, as the forward
sections of my pipes have not a speck of rust on them. When it fails again,
it's time for the stainless steel 2 piece pipes. It seems to me that the
right pipe fails significantly faster than the left pipe. My right pipe was
ready to burst (it did burst in removal), and of the 2 parts vans used to
donate pipes, only 1 "good" right pipe was available. All the left pipes
i've seen so far though, haven't been nearly as bad.
Therefore, the pipe sections i used to repair my rear sections, both came
from "LEFT" pipes. It seems to fit fine, and i am somewhat perplexed
therefore as to why they would bend the rear sections in a polarized
fashion, right and left being different.
"There's always a gallon left in there......somewhere....."
Craig, I have no idea why you or anyone else would go to this much trouble
to do what your doing just to have metal pipes that will eventually rust
anyway !!! Just replace the whole run with 1-1/4"Green Stripe II coolant hose
available from NAPA, part # 28445. Easy to install, no need to remove ANYTHING
! Just clamp the ends and tie wrap in place. I have done many vans using
this hose and there are absolutely no problems. If your NAPA cannot supply
this hose then I can. I get it from my local NAPA in 250 ft. rolls and
always have some in stock From my _Vanagon Items Forsale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/sales.htm) , "Cooling System" section, webpage:
Hose, coolant, 1-1/4"Green Stripe II, replacement & repair of 1.9 main metal
coolant pipes, 28445 - $8.95/ft.
ALSO, the best way to drain the ENTIRE coolant system is to disconnect
the lower rad hose and install an old used one that has been cut in half and a
T inserted and a hose connected to that T which leads to a shut off valve.
You can then adjust the flow rate and collect the coolant coming out without
any big mess. To evacuate the system take an old coolant tank cap and break
open the valve so that you can blow air through the nipple which would go to
the overflow tank. Install that cap on the main tank, install a hose to the
nipple that can be connected to a controlled air supply from a compressor,
open all the heater valves, open the bleed valve on the thermostat housing (2.1
models only), turn on air pressure to blow out the coolant adjusting the
pressure so AS NOT TO BLOW ANYTHING, run engine briefly to make sure all liquid
is out of the engine and waterpump, remove air hose, connect water hose
source to the nipple and flush system with fresh water for at least 15 minutes,
running engine briefly during this time, then repeat the steps above with air
to remove all liquid, then refill with fresh coolant and water to specs.
Please note that I will be away from my business travelling in Mexico
from November 19, 2007 until April 30, 2008. Parts orders will be processed
although not as quickly as usual. I will always be available for contact by
E-mail. If you phone your call will be addressed by Greg T. Brown here and he
will either call you back or advise you to contact me directly by E-mail.
Details of this adventure are at _Buses in Zamora_
(http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/Busesinzamora/) . A Travel Blog is at: _Zamora Blog_
(http://poolio.net/zamorablog/)
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15, 2008
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