Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:00:35 -0400
Reply-To: Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM>
Subject: Re: Another way to drain coolant
In-Reply-To: <ca6f512f0810202343x60a77ffm46da6a05d82eee5d@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I like cleaning out the shop vac, and sucking it out of the lines...
undoing both main lines often works pretty well, you can also just
hold it next to the lines you are disconnecting, I find it easier than
a catch basin. You can complete the job with "almost" no
drips(inevitably when you;re under the van, as soon as the opportunity
for it to run down the other side of your arm into your shirt reveals
itself, the coolant will oblige), and with the drain in the bottom of
the shop vac you can drain into containers etc, or just re-use it
yourself if it's fine.
Jim Akiba
On Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 2:43 AM, Jeff Hartman
<jeffreyleehartman@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks, John, Scott, Keneth, Paul, and everyone else who responded. I now
> have three good alternative ways to drain coolant thanks to all of you. If
> I choose to remove the hoses near the front of the van as my short term
> approach, and the original hoses still look ok should I replace hose
> clamps? And once I fill the pressure tank and fill tank with mix, am I
> automatically stuck in that spot for bleeding the system. I know of a good
> spot a few miles away with a 15% slope I could park on for bleeding, but
> don't know if it is safe to move very far. My jack only goes up about 10
> inches if I want to bleed at that location.
>
> Also, I am thinking of using the nose down approach I have read about in
> archives. If I do that, do I need to bleed the rear heater core too? Or
> can I just get by with the radiator, and valve at the top of the thermostat?
> thanks,
>
> Jeff Hartman
> Juneau, Alaska
> 86 vanagon
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 18, 2008 at 7:49 AM, Paul Guzyk <paullist08@guzyk.com> wrote:
>
>> I usually take off one of the big hoses near the front of the van (under
>> the spare tire area).
>>
>> Have cardboard on the ground and a couple of buckets/rags handy to catch
>> coolant (it will still be messy so wear dirty clothes).
>>
>> After one hose has emptied, undo the other one, now drain it into a bucket.
>>
>> THEN insert a compressor air spray nozzle into one of the hoses with a rag
>> to fill up the gap around the nozzle. Give er some air and the rest of the
>> coolant will puke out of the other hose....this way you get well over 90% of
>> the coolant out of the system.
>>
>> And if you don't spill any coolant on the ground during the process you
>> earn a gold star.
>>
>
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