Date: Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:44:13 -0600
Reply-To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Woody's woes/ botched bleeding
In-Reply-To: <75d3f60912241457p19a5d80bl176cd95d3ccefb2@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I don't feel that it matters very much whether you raise the front or
back or neither. Perhaps raising one end helps remove air that may
lurk along the long pipes that go fore and aft.
Raising the front may be best if the system is hot and pressurized
and you want to bleed air at the radiator. Raising the back helps to
keep coolant from gushing out if you are opening the pressure cap to
add coolant when it is cold.
Artificially pressurizing the system for testing and inspection is
desirable but it would seem better to pump in coolant rather than just
air...
Larry A.
On 12/24/09, John C... <jcarp2001@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey Woody, Hi All,
> Gotta say, all I do is to pressurize my coolant system to 20 psi.
> I don't even lift the front end etc.
> Bleed the radiator, bleed the thermostat ( if you have a bleeder on it ),
> turn on the heaters if you must :o)
> That's it.
> drive, rinse & repeat.
> Never have a problem
> best,
> JC...
> PS: This is also a great time to slide under the bus
> & wriggle hoses around to check for leaks and weak connections & parts!
> If there's a near problem, under 20 lbs it will more than likely show !!!
> On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 2:56 PM, Woody Halsey <WHalsey@sya.org> wrote:
>
>>
>> Well, I finally found a moment when the sun was still somewhat in the
>> sky, the temperature was up and my bro-in-law was willing to keep his
>> foot on the accelerator. Here's what happened. Explanations and
>> suggestions will be more than welcome!
>>
>> 1) Started the engine and drove up onto ramps, raising the nose
>> about 8".
>> 2) Opened front and back heaters.
>> 3) Opened bleeder valve on new radiator; took cap off expansion
>> tank.
>> 4) Filled expansion tank with water (it was pretty low).
>> 5) Noted serious gurgling, burping and splashing from expansion
>> tank, but only
>> 6) Minor hissing from the radiator.
>> 7) Then some coolant escaped from the bleeder valve on the radiator
>> ... then....
>> 8) NOTHING more from the radiator -- no air, no liquid -- while the
>> expansion tank continued to bubble like a witch's cauldron.
>>
>> The heater under the back seat was blowing hot air; the front fan blew
>> only cold air. I added a total of about two quarts of water.
>>
>> After about 15-20 minutes I gave up and invited my brother-in-law in for
>> a drink by the fire, saying I would not try again until I had received
>> the combined Wisdom from The List, hoping that maybe the air bubbles
>> will work their way towards the radiator overnight.
>>
>> Some additional facts:
>>
>> 1) Mechanic added fresh coolant with the engine raised, not the
>> nose; so clearly the system is in need of bleeding.
>> 2) Thermostat, sensors and radiator are all new.
>> 3) Gauge pegs as soon as the engine is turned on ... but then,
>> sometimes, goes back to normal readings. This afternoon it ended up
>> looking pretty normal after intitially pegging and flashing.
>> 4) Couldn't find the bleeder valve in the engine compartment. I
>> think it was eliminated years ago for some reason; maybe it broke and
>> the hoses were just spliced together.
>>
>> Merry Christmas to all, and thanks in advance.
>>
>> Woody
>> 83.5 V'gon
>> Haverhill, MA
>>
>>
>> P.S. Now I am going to mix a cocktail, print out the tree ornament and
>> try to pry my kids away from the ginger bread house project to help me.
>>
>
|