Date:         Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:22:40 -0700
Reply-To:     RICHARD KOERNER <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         RICHARD KOERNER <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: rear heater blowout - stranded
Comments: To: mcneely4@COX.NET
In-Reply-To:  <11659681.11127.1251147883738.JavaMail.mcneely4@127.0.0.1>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Yes, the best way is to plug & clamp both hoses to the heater, it maximizes coolant flow up to the radiator.  If you use a "pipe" to connect the hoses, it just returns hot coolant back to the engine.  I'm not sure which is "in" and which is "out"....just plug both of them.  I used the "pipe" method for years until Dennis Haynes and other gurus pointed out that plugging is better.

Rich
85 GL
San Diego

--- On Mon, 8/24/09, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:

From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: rear heater blowout - stranded
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Monday, August 24, 2009, 2:04 PM

I have the rear heater removed from, and a pipe fitted to the hoses to connect one to the other.  I'm not limping.  Dave Mc


On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:36 PM , Matthew Snook wrote:

> 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
>