Date: Thu, 19 May 2011 14:54:30 -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: 2.1 L Head Leaks
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
all right John..
you are using Dexcool.
I use it, good stuff.
I suggest..if you can without too much hassle ...remove the lower tin on the
left side so you can eyeball the outer rubber water gasket. If it's an
external leak and it's 'head gasket' that's where it usually is.
you have also ....in that area, the oil cooler hoses ......those split once
in a while.
there is a hose off the side of the head on a 2.1 - the one that goes up to
the bleed rail ..
connects sort of above the coil and a little aft. I have never seen one of
those hoses fail though , or rarely.
but ...plastic thermostat housing .
seen loots of those melt and dissolve and just 'fail'.
the hose that goes over the bell housing..
particularly on an automatic trans van ..
those get soft and fail...being exposed to heat coming off the torque
converter..
and also oil fumes from there a little too.
shouldn't be real hard to find - your leak, if that's what is going on.
Getting the lower tin off can be difficult if the exhaust nuts/bolls bolt at
the top of the tin piece don't cooperate. I sometimes use only one of the
upper mounting tabs on the left side tin - since sometimes you want to get
that tin off to get at the oil pressure sender under there.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 2:11 PM
Subject: Re: 2.1 L Head Leaks
> Definitely coolant. Orange/red Dex-cool. Lately I have had to add a
> little bit at times. Never anything on the ground/o pavement, though,
> until today.
>
> John
>
> John Rodgers
> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> Chelsea, AL
> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>
>
> On 5/19/2011 3:28 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> hi...
>> regarding the reddish orange puddle .........
>> rusty old coolant ?
>> or Dexcool orange coolant ? ...........or VW orange ?
>> Is it using coolant ?
>>
>> that's what I'd suggest first..
>> be sure it's a cooling system and head issue.
>> there are small hoses that can leak in that area also ....oil cooler.
>> and it's not Power Steering ATF somehow is it ?
>>
>> it does help to have someone who knows them pretty well..
>> and likes waterboxer vangons too, for something to work on.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:56 PM
>> Subject: 2.1 L Head Leaks
>>
>>
>>> It appears my 88 GL has developed a head leak.
>>>
>>> I went to the VA Hospital this mornig for a checkup, and when I came
>>> out, there was a reddish orange puddle underneath the van on the left
>>> side about where the head would be. Surely the dreaded head leak. Got
>>> about 137K on the rebuilt with no trouble with heads. I guess it was a
>>> pretty good rebuild.
>>>
>>> So now it must be done. I am not able to do this myself, so need
>>> recommendations as to how to go about getting this done. My main man has
>>> gone out of business, so that leaves only a Birmingham shop that I have
>>> heard of that does VW. The reports on the quality of work have been all
>>> over the place. Makes it rather iffy.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions on how to approach this problem would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> BTW, it's getting more and more difficult to find anyone in this region
>>> who is competent - and willing - to work on these vans.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>> --
>>> John Rodgers
>>> Clayartist and Moldmaker
>>> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
>>> Chelsea, AL
>>> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>>
>>
