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Date:         Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:12:22 -0800
Reply-To:     Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Head gasket leaking. Bummer.
Comments: To: Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <C25E60EA-E317-453D-BCEA-8EA9D2C82216@kippert.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

"At this rate I may be looking for a snow tire for my Honda scooter"   As you may know, snow tires are recommended front and rear.   Stephen

--- On Tue, 1/27/09, Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM> wrote:

From: Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM> Subject: Re: Head gasket leaking. Bummer. To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 4:45 PM

I've yet to use any stop leak product and I'm certainly not going to until I resolve the leak at that distribution junction. I definitely plan to fix what I know is broke, as soon as I know...well...what is broke to fix. Ya know?

Right now we're getting several inches of snow here in Indy so the van will have to sit while I deal with other issues (ie. the wife's Sable is suffering some problems right now).

At this rate I may be looking for a snow tire for my Honda scooter :^)

BTW, the Vanagon's a 4spd.

Mark K 1986 GL/2WD/4SPD

On Jan 26, 2009, at 5:25 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:

> that coolant distributor....... > they like to crumble where a hose goes on. > I don't see too many of them failing.........but they sure do. > > there are 3 or 4 version of that part. > the 'real way' to get the right part is to get the part number off it. > I recommend Van Cafe , and I think their site says this same > thing .... > only way to be sure is by part # on the old part. > > I wouldn't dream of going on a major trip with out a fairly new on > installed.. > or at least a good used back-up on on baord. > it would be a very hard part to subsitue for.......like with > hardware store > parts. > > the hoses ...........sure they can fail.......though it's rare. > you don't say which trans you have..... > but on the auto trans 86 and above 2WD vanagons ...........the hose > that > goes over the top of the torque converter/bell housing area...... > that gets blasted with heat and AFF oily fumes..........eats it > right out > after a long time - gets mushy and soft. > > on my personal van I used some syncro pipes that also go over the bell > housing in a syncro........part of one of those pipes to replace > most of > that rubber hose going over the torque converter, with steel pipe > from a > syncro. it's the right size and shape metal pipe too. > heat shield works too of course. > otherwise.............some of the best coolant hoses in car-dom ! - > on > vanagons. > > the plastic thermostat housings like to melt or turn to junk too., > on the > 2.1. > A syncro t-stat housing is made of aluminum can be installed instead > though. > > I'd say, first step is ...........remove the Offending Part. > ( also falls under 'Fix what you know is broken. ) > > Scott > www.turbovans.com > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mark A Kippert" <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 1:16 PM > Subject: Re: Head gasket leaking. Bummer. > > >> After no leaks for about 2 days the leak is back and then some. >> >> Sunday, a few hours after a trip to the hardware store (20-25 mile >> round trip), I went out to go somewhere else. I then noticed a wet >> spot about 18" in diameter (previously about a 5" spot). I didn't >> have >> time to crawl under and look so I drove my truck. Last night I pulled >> the van a few feet forward in the drive. This morning I see a new >> spot >> about 12" round. >> >> This time I crawled under. I didn't notice any coolant on the head >> but >> got some on my finger if I rubbed it (passenger's side, rear cyl). It >> was then that I realized the wet spot was more than a foot forward of >> the head. So I start looking around and see a slow drip coming from >> that distribution junction behind the firewall, near the starter. >> >> I don't know if the junction is bad or if I have a bad hose. Until I >> find the time I'm just going to have to stop driving it, cause I sure >> don't want a hose to burst, or the junction to fail and suffer a mass >> loss of coolant. >> >> Now it has me wondering if the head is actually leaking, or if the >> coolant on the underside of the engine just made it's way from that >> junction. However if it were only coming from the junction, you'd >> think it would be on the forward cylinder as well. >> >> So I suspect I now have two leaks. Argh. >> >> Mark K >> 1986 GL 2WD >> >> >> >> On Jan 25, 2009, at 1:19 PM, Mark A Kippert wrote: >> >>> OK, here's the weird thing. After receiving the Bars suggestion I >>> went >>> out and bought some. This was Friday I believe. I've been waiting >>> for >>> it to leak out enough to pour in the Bars. The leak appears to have >>> stopped!?!? No telltale drips on the underside of the head/engine. >>> No >>> puddle or wet spot on the ground. Nothing. Odd. >>> >>> Mark K >>> 1986 GL 2WD >>> >>> >>> >>> On Jan 25, 2009, at 9:25 AM, dylan friedman wrote: >>> >>>> Dave and many others have had similar experience with the stop leak >>>> products. >>>> A weep or occasional drip will dry up and the van can be run for >>>> more miles. >>>> If a pool or puddle collects on the ground after driving, do >>>> yourself a favor and have the heads resealed. >>>> >>>> dylan >>>>


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