Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:17:45 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: `87 Westy Syncro running hot
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I doubt it's a stuck t-stat or plugged radiator.
it does sound like an old radiator not removing heat very well, which is
what they do after many years.
I don't think flushing one has much affect on an old syncro radiator
.........a few percent at best .
if it doesn't use a drop of coolant in anyway ..
it never unbleeds itself, the t-stat makes it warm up farily quickly ...
and maintains that temp well..........the t-stat is probabl OK.
it's common to find them not running warm enough, but doesn't seem you have
that issue.
it's at full temp by 15 minutes, right ?
if it's not 'something else' ...say exahsut sneaking into the coolant at the
head gasket/s or head/s ,
no leaks, good heater performacne ..
and radiator has been in there a long time..
my attention would be drawn to the radiator ...it fits the simptoms as I
understand so far ...
unless you know the rad is only say 3 years old.
and as I said, I doubt flushing has a lot of affect.
they don't plug up, they just don't remove heat as well eventually.
be sure it's not something else though.
you don't hear gurggling in the front ever do you ?
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Tuovinen" <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 3:35 PM
Subject: `87 Westy Syncro running hot
> Our `87 Westy Syncro with stock 2.1L has for years always operated with
> the
> temperature guage needle centered on the LED. It would climb on long
> inclines, or other similar hard use situations but in general it stayed on
> the LED the rest of the time. The last couple of summers it has been
> reading a needles width higher and lately a bit more so that it seems to
> maintain just below 1/2 way between the LED and high mark. Turning on one
> or both heaters will bring it back down but obviously that is not going to
> cure the problem. Years of operation tell me this is not normal for the
> van
> especially when you consider that we are in Alaska and ambient temp is
> never
> more than 75 - 80F. The coolant level is fine and it has a fresh fill
> with
> the proper ratio of antifreeze and water. The radiator was flushed
> recently
> as well. We do use a bra on the van during our road trips as we tend to
> go
> places where rocks, bugs, etc, will attack the front of the van. Our
> trips
> always include mountain passes as you can't get anywhere from here without
> going through one or more of them but the elevation gain is usually not
> more
> than 1-2000ft and a gradual climb with few exceptions.
>
> I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions to cure this with out just
> throwing parts at it. Sticking t-stat, radiator plugged???? Anyone have
> any ideas?
>
> TIA
>
> Mark in AK
