Date:         Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:36:44 -0700
Reply-To:     Matthew Snook <matt@SNOOKSBAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Matthew Snook <matt@SNOOKSBAND.COM>
Subject:      rear heater blowout - stranded
Comments: To: Wetwesties <Wetwesties@yahoogroups.com>,
          VWVANFULLTIMERS@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

OK, I'm having an adventure...

'84 Westy 1.9
Currently parked roadside at Whitehorse Campground, Umpqua National Forest
(that's Oregon) on highway 138

Pulling the hill eastbound the temperature was running high but not
critical, when I started smelling antifreeze.  As I started making plans to
pull the rear heater after I got home to Rocky Point (Klamath County) a
gusher erupted under the rear bench seat, steaming all of my clothing and
stranding me over a pool of coolant.  For now, I hope.  I passed the 3500
foot mark, so I have another 1500-2000 ft climb before I'm on the downhill
to Klamath Lake. :(

I took the rear heater cover off, restarted the engine, and soon water and
steam was coming from somewhere inside the heater unit.  I can't see the
leak directly.  I tried setting the little lever on the passenger side of
the unit back and forth, but it didn't seem to affect the output.  

My Bentley doesn't say which of the hoses is supply or return, upper or
lower.  

Question: can I disconnect both hoses, clamp a stick in there to block the
openings, and limp back home that way?  Will there still be adequate flow of
coolant through the rest of the system?

Matt

Matthew Snook
matt@snooksband.com
541.805.5133
-----------------------------
2201 Cedar Street
La Grande OR 97850