Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:51:16 -0500
Reply-To: A J <flavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: A J <flavanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Ran the vanagon dry --- but have a spotless motor now!!!
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I have an 85 1.9. It is my "toy" daily driver. Because of my
disability I dont get out much, and "play " with the van even less.
Awhile back I had a stretched/worn out fan belt on the a/c and it wore
a hole in the water hose. I did replace the belt but at the time I
figured I would "fix" the hose and save myself from that problem and
not worry about driving while loosing coolant. I got a new hose but I
split it in half and spliced in a 1/2 section of pcv pipe. I dont
remember now what it is called but its the kind for hot water and does
work on higher pressure. Anyway its been like that for awhile now, no
problems and since I just dont have a bunch of bucks its all good.
Not so good. --- Today I was out, had several errands and noticed a
very distinct loss of power just before I pulled into the grocery
store. I didnt think much of it.
Now I have to ad I have been having problems with the speedo and
most of the gauges so I pulled the cluster and hardwired it. It all
seemed to work but the speedo so I pulled it out again and have it
here on the bench for when I can work on it so it is not now nor was
it installed when all this happened.
Coming back from the grocery store about 10 minutes into the drive
the same loss of power but this time I smelled smoke but couldnt see
any and was doing about 65 mph. A few more miles down the road and
about a mile away from the house I had to stop for a traffic light. It
was running rough and I could see smoke everywhere. I pulled over and
opened the hatch, no fire but oil and grime on the motor was smoking.
I figured I would just run it to the house any damage was already done.
Got it to the house. Coming up the little grade on the street was a
challenge.but the van made it and I slipped it into the back yard. I
shut it down and wanted to let it cool, it was smoookinn.
Went back out a couple of hours later and it was cool enough to have a
look around. I found that my little cheat with the pvc pipe had
slipped out of one end of the hose. The clamp was still on the hose
but the plastic was only connected to the other end of the hose. Since
this is between the water pump and the primary tank it means all the
water was pumping out. Now I know that I drove at least 15 miles at
minimum and probably more than 20 without any water in the motor/system.
I was really expecting a junk seized motor or at the least one needing
new heads and some internals. I reconnected the pvc - for now -there
will be a replacement when the next check gets here. I filled it with
water and --- it started right up and actually ran a little better and
smoother. I added water a few times till it leveled off and left it
idling for about 15 minutes. No water pouring out the bottom, no oil
either. So I took it around the block- about a mile drive and it is
running fine. Shut it down and waited for something to start dripping
out or come spilling out. Nothing.
Tomorrow I will have the oil changed and filter because that was one
hot motor, but as near as I can tell it seems to be all right. I guess
starting with an air cooled motor and converting to water cooled has
certain advantages. Maybe the new oil and filter every 2500 had
something to do with it. I dont know but one thing for sure I now have
a simply spotlessly clean motor. The thing looks almost new - well
maybe not but it is really clean!! Maybe its like a self cleaning oven
- get it hot enough and it will burn all the grease and junk off of it..
Well that the story for today - it really happened and just that way.
Is it karma? Saying prayers? Being a church going person - Im not much
on that. I dont know why its still running and running well. Maybe
its because the people at VW really did build a good vehicle with a
great motor!!
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