Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:00:54 -0800
Reply-To: Doug Noganav <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doug Noganav <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Subject: Re: Success!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Ken,
I am "inclined" to agree with you (grin)
That the 2.1L cooling system changes addressed some of the trapped
air issues that the 1.9L's may have had difficulty with.
I is entirely possible that Bentley based their instructions upon the 1.9L
cooling designs. Especially since the Bentley book likely came out in pub
when the early vans were in production still.
I have now rebuilt several vanagon water boxers my first being a 1.9
and then a couple 2.1s. They all gave me grief bleeding them with a brand
new engine and coolant going everywhere with the van jacked way up in the
air.
Huge mess, lots of coolant all over the hot exhaust system, plenty of anti
freeze fumes
for my liver to process. Not fun. Totally understandable that many would say
gotta be a better way.
I have to say, I cant remember who on this list posted the picture and
design
idea of the 3ft piece of ABS tube attached to the filler neck with the
rubber pipe
adapter from ACE and the small plastic tube. I made one of these up and I am
forever
grateful. Bleeding the vanagon has never been so easy.
Doug
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Wilford" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 7:11 AM
Subject: Re: Success!
> Doug, I always follow the manual myself (I guess it is a left over from
> my aviation mechanics training). At least that way if you have a
> problem people can't say "Why didn't you follow the manual?" However
> the 2.1l cooling system is pretty nice in that in most cases it will
> self bleed over the course of a week or so. I have never had one of
> these have a large air bubble that caused an overheat problem. I have
> had this in the earlier vans (83-85 1.9l) so bleeding them right is very
> critical. On the later vans (86-91) while it is important to bleed the
> system properly, they are more forgiving than the earlier ones. Two of
> the main things I do when I install an engine is to turn on the front
> heater to full blast and also listen for the radiator fan to go on and
> off (low speed). I need to have hot air coming out of the front heater
> and I need the radiator fan to cycle a few times before I say that an
> engine is properly installed. This saves me from putting in a new
> engine and then having a customer fry it within the next month. I have
> been very successful with this procedure. So far in 11 years I have
> never had anything bad happen because of an overheat on a recently
> installed motor or even a head gasket job.
>
> Take your time, read the manual, do things in a step by step manner and
> you will have very good to great results. Get in a rush, do things in a
> sloppy or half way manner and you are just throwing your money and time
> away. Just my advice.
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
> Doug Noganav wrote:
> > Not sure why so many think you can bleed the water boxer any way you
choose.
> >
> > I do it the way Bentley book says (raise the van 15 3/4) at the cross
bar
> > behind the tire carrier and now use the great idea of the ABS pipe and
site
> > vinyl tube clamped to the bottle with the rubber adapter and absolutely
love
> > doing the purge and bleed procedure.
> >
> > Why would Bentley say to raise the van to this height unless they did
the
> > R&D?
> >
> > These "procedures" of doing this and that to bleed the system have no
> > guarantee that you are getting all the air out and not leaving hot
spots.
> >
> > Just saying "I've never had a problem" "always worked for me"
> >
> > Has very little credibility, really, where is your R&D?
> >
> > Bleed and purge the way the manual says. if you still have air
......guess
> > what....your heads are likely leaking air into the coolant. You can also
> > have it sniffed for hydrocarbons and that will tell you for sure the
gasses
> > are being injected into the cooling system.
> >
> > The vanagon front heater works so awesomely well, its downright shameful
to
> > take it on a trip with it not working.
> >
> > Doug
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jeff Lincoln" <magikvw@GMAIL.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 6:43 PM
> > Subject: Success!
> >
> >
> >
> >> Just thought I'd share that we made our longest trip to date with
Grover
> >>
> > and
> >
> >> his new engine. Almost 500 miles from MI to upstate NY (via Canada).
> >> Flawless trip!
> >>
> >> Still having so up front heating issues - I suspect that the heads
weren't
> >> installed surihe rebuild (before I owned the engine) with the best
> >> craftsmanship - because they are weaping a bit and I'm having a hard
time
> >> getting the cooling system bled completely. If I run it at idle while
> >> bleeding I cannot leave the cap off the pressure tank without the
coolant
> >> building up and over flowing. According to things I've seen Dennis say
it
> >> could be leaking exhaust into the cooling system.
> >>
> >> So if I can get through winter I'll lok into doing a head gasket job
when
> >> the weather breaks.
> >>
> >> Anyhow, for now - thin are good. It was a nice drive (a bit cold on the
> >>
> > feet
> >
> >> up front) but Patty was toasty in the back the back heater kept us
pretty
> >> comfortable over all.
> >>
> >> HAPPY NEW YEAR!
> >>
> >> --
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Jeff
> >> '90 Carat (Grover)
> >> '86 (We call this one Parts)
> >> '78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus
> >>
> >
> >
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