Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:58:16 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: a newbie with some problems: hissing 2.1 L WBX and thrown belt
In-Reply-To: <BAY120-W1298DD8C0B8172854DB3DBBF840@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
The belt was the alternator and water pump drive belt. Whan it failed the
alternator warning light should have came on to let you know that soemthing
was wrong and you need to immediatley shut the engine down and check it out.
If you continued to run the engine without the water pump turning, then you
overheated the coolant in the engine and the heads to the point that it
boiled out probaly vilently and this sudden steam creation with all the oter
physics invleved exposed your engine to what I call a trauma. You have to
accept that you did some damage. The head gaskets take the first hit with
warped heads, cases, pulled head studs and other nasties to follow.
As for coolant type there is a lot of opinons. To me the most important
thing is to avoid mixing coolant types and if you are in an area with hard
water, use distilled. I am taking a liking to the Zerex GO-5 and some of the
long life pink coolant such as is used for Diesels. I realy have not seen
any problems with regular Prestone Green or the nwer univesal stuff. I find
that the recomended VW Blue coolant and Dex-cool will sometimes leave
clumping deposits. Note that the VW RED coolant is not Dex-Cool.
Why folks wait until something is wrong to learn about how the warning
lights are supposed to work is a bit beyond me. Any car can have cooling
system and oil system failures. Knowing how the lights work and what to do
is extremly important. They are self testing and should be checked whenever
the engine is started.
Good luck.
Dennis
>From: Thomas Kortus <tkortus@HOTMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Thomas Kortus <tkortus@HOTMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: a newbie with some problems: hissing 2.1 L WBX and thrown belt
>Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:27:56 -0700
>
>Help!
>
>I just bought a 89 vanagon and i had just turned ont on my street after a 5
>hour drive only to hear a very loud hissing sound from the engine. I pulled
>over immediately and the hissing continued and eventually died out. There
>is coolant on the engine and a belt was off. the belt goes around the
>pulley to the far right of the engine. the coolant tank is bone dry.
>
>I am completely new to vanagons and to this engine (2.1. L wbx) i had a '67
>split window for about 7 years.
>
>i am thinking and hoping that this is just a hose, but i don;t even know
>what to put in this engine for coolant. or where to put it.
>
>any help would be very appreciated.
>
>also as i was coming home the fan up front was working overtime at points
>in the trip. i am assmuning that this fan is designed to help the cooling
>process is that right?
>
>thank you- i am looking forward to learning more about this van nd these
>engines- i guess owning one is the best way to do this- my lessons just
>started sonner that i thought they would.
>
>thanks-
>
>
>thomas
>
>durham ,NC
>'89 vANAGON gl Wolfsburg
>
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