Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 12:43:00 -0400
Reply-To: "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Not the thermostat - yay!
In-Reply-To: <BAY132-DS26E0EE81D79C0DE27D798A05D0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Another common failure item is the Expansion Tank Cap
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=025121321B
At less than $10... keep a spare on board!
Ask me how I know... Yesterday at the Buses By The Beach event, my 2.1 motor
started leaking coolant like crazy from the overflow tank.
Lucky for me, there were nearly 100 other bus owners within shouting
distance... and one said that he had his cap fail the same way.
So, on the phone to the local parts dealer...
and while providing details to the store, Jonce Fancher over heard me and
said "which color cap do you want?" as he had a blue and a black cap
on board! So, now I plan to keep two on board as well... just in case mine
fails again (un-likely) or more likely some other Vanagon
Need to pay this one forward!
Just another note... Jonce recently did a Bostig conversion, and didn't even
need the spare cap in his van...
As I said... "Lucky for me" and also lucky to know Jonce.
Now time to give a "shameless plug" for the guy who saved the weekend for
me!
Jonce just completed really cool awning that connects to the rain gutter of
any bus.
He linked his 85 Westy to a 71 Westy, and during the 30mph + winds, it
didn't move a bit.
He is very creative and if you need anything special, he likely has it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30631788@N04/
Jack R.
84 Westy with 2.1l 91 motor.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Dennis Haynes
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 12:01 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Not the thermostat - yay!
Actually your troubles are not over. You need to find out where the coolant
went. You also need to continue paying attention since you likely did some
damage to the engine operating it with the coolant low enough that the pump
could not keep the heaters working. Once the system is working, it will work
any air out on its own. Be sure to keep the recovery tank full.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Bruce Todd
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 7:55 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Not the thermostat - yay!
The synopsis is:
After much reading of old archived emails, posting a couple dumb
questions and receiving a few very helpful responses from list members, my
overheating problem was simply a lack of coolant and some much needed
bleeding of air out of the system. I also went to my local VW mechanic to
check the cap on the expansion tank to confirm it too was working.
Radiator fan works / comes on when required, hot air from both heaters, no
leaks and a well behaving temp guage...and overall the dreaded air bleed
process wasn't as messy as first imagined. I used a flat male electrical
connector to pin into the throttle to keep the rpms at around 2,300. I'll
repeat the whole process again say within a 100 km try and remove some more
air.
Thanks for the help everyone - I can now claim BTDT.
BT
86 Syncro Westy
