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Date:         Sun, 29 May 2011 15:11:07 -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: Proper recovery from coolant loss while driving
Comments: To: Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

you did the right thing by only running it a few seconds at a time in the begining of this epeisode. Smart of you to do that. Defenitely the right thinking on your part.

it's a condundrum, because you don't want to just let it sit there and cook, engine off, but you don't want to shock it either with cold water.. so that was the right thing to do ...run it briefly to circulate water.. add some as you can, until you have it to where it can take coolant and not be overheating.

on the main plastic coolant pipes .. I think that's the style you have .. just wondering if you didn't have the syndrome they are known for happen .. that is the metal inserts in the ends slide out some. A leak often developes that way ....four places that can happen. Maybe something is acting up that way .. and you didn't fail to tighten a hose clamp.

I hope your engine is ok. ( if it was air-cooled we could say check head nut torque and valve clearances... but these don't apply to a waterboxer. More or less, you get what you get. )

scott www.turbovans.cm

----- Original Message ----- From: "Edward Maglott" <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2011 2:25 PM Subject: Proper recovery from coolant loss while driving

> I've been working on replacing the little hoses on the oil cooler on > my 2.1. It was time to flush the coolant anyway, so during the > process, I've been driving around with just water in the > system. drive it around, drain it flush it, repeat, etc. I had > disconnected the radiator return hose at the rear end of the long > plastic tube. When I put it back on apparently I did not put the > clamp back on at all. So I was driving around on a short errand and > got flashing temp light and a trail behind the van in the rear view > mirror. Pulled over and that hose of course had pushed off. > > So, I'm on the side of a quiet street and put the hose back > on. Expansion tank is empty. I have 1 gallon of water with > me. There were gurgling sounds coming from the engine and steam > coming out of the expansion tank. I didn't want to shock the hot > engine with a bunch of cold water and wasn't sure the best way to get > water back into it. I poured water in the slowly, waited a while for > the engine to cool down. Finally I ran the engine for about 5 > seconds, waited. Then 10 seconds, waited. Finally started it and > let it idle and then I got some gurgling and sputtering into the > expansion tank. 1 gallon was not enough to refill what was lost. I > was close to home and decided to go for it, driving slowly with the > cap left loose to try to run unpressurized. I got about 1/4 mile and > came to a stoplight, temp gauge was climbing high so I put it in > neutral and cut the engine. Pow! the hose blew off again and with > force. I started the engine for about 10 seconds to get around the > corner off the street. I found a spigot nearby and was able to > refill the engine slowly, letting it cool again. Since I had plenty > of water, I was able to get about 3 gallons into it. No gurgling > this time. Did the same start the engine for short runs a few times > and then start it and let it idle. I was now only a couple blocks > from home so got home with no problem. > > The expansion tank fills into the pipe that goes from the water pump > to the thermostat housing. I think based on Ben's handy coolant flow > diagram, that water flows form there into the water jackets, so > filling cold water there would go pretty directly into the > engine? So what is the wisdom on how to recover on the roadside from > a major coolant loss? > > Thanks, > Edward (hope I didn't hurt my engine)


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