Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:55:08 -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: Botched Coolant Flush Implications?
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
I was just wondering if people were going to address that part of his post
as well.
to the original poster..
to start with , 'what color' is your current coolant ?
and what does the invoice say ? ..
if not type, at least what did you pay for how much ?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Wilford" <kenwilfy@comcast.net>
To: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: Botched Coolant Flush Implications?
> Scott,
>
> Let me consult my crystal ball... How am I supposed to know?
>
> :-)
>
> I don't use the blue goo here unless a customer requests it. But then I
> do use it. The customer is always right.
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
> Phone: 856-327-4936
> Fax: 856-327-2242
>
>
>
>
> On 6/15/2011 3:22 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> Do you think he got the coolant type that he asked them to put in Ken ?
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Wilford" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 11:27 AM
>> Subject: Re: Botched Coolant Flush Implications?
>>
>>
>>> Wes, if you weren't seeing any high temperatures on your trip then the
>>> engine is fine. The nice part about the 2.1l coolant system is that it
>>> will self bleed over the course of a few days. Probably there was some
>>> air trapped in the system that the shop didn't get out but if your
>>> heater was working the heads were never uncovered so no damage could
>>> occur (front heater core is higher than the heads so if it has coolant
>>> then the head definitely did.
>>>
>>> I would just top off the bottle with the pressure cap on it (to the left
>>> in the engine bay). Fill it all the way to the top. Then fill the one
>>> behind the license plate door to full and keep an eye on it over the
>>> course of the next couple of days. If they both stay full then you are
>>> fine and no further bleeding is required. It may still burp a few more
>>> times but as long as the pressure bottle is full, just top off the non
>>> pressure tank until the system level stabilizes. I would check the
>>> level when everything is cold first thing in the morning just so your
>>> readings are consistent and you can top things off without worrying
>>> about getting burnt by hot coolant.
>>>
>>> Hope this helps,
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thanks,
>>> Ken Wilford
>>> John 3:16
>>> www.vanagain.com
>>> Phone: 856-327-4936
>>> Fax: 856-327-2242
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 6/15/2011 1:57 PM, Wes Neuenschwander wrote:
>>>> I recently had the coolant system flushed and coolant replaced in my
>>>> '91
>>>> Westy at a local independent VW service place. I have about 15,000
>>>> miles on
>>>> my rebuilt (GoWesty 2.3 liter) engine. When I got the vehicle back,
>>>> the
>>>> coolant in the reservoir (non-pressurized tank) was at the 'full' line.
>>>> After driving the vehicle about 100 miles, I noticed the heater didn't
>>>> seem
>>>> to be heating fully. After I opened the heater valve 100% for a few
>>>> miles,
>>>> the heater function seemed to be restored, providing well modulated
>>>> heating
>>>> over the full range of the heater valve settings. Engine temperature -
>>>> or
>>>> rather coolant temperature - was normal the entire trip (consistently
>>>> mid-point on the coolant temp gauge, just as before the coolant flush).
>>>>
>>>> However when I got home from the trip (about 500 miles, including some
>>>> NW
>>>> Washington mountain passes, I noticed that the reservoir was empty
>>>> (didn't
>>>> check the pressurized tank, alas). I refilled the reservoir and after
>>>> running the engine a few times during short day trips around town, both
>>>> the
>>>> reservoir and pressurized tank levels are normal (pressurized tank is
>>>> full
>>>> and the reservoir is at the mid-full mark).
>>>>
>>>> There is no evidence of leaking coolant - anywhere. My guess is that
>>>> the
>>>> air was not fully purged from the coolant system following the
>>>> flush/refill
>>>> operation (perhaps, at least in part, due to air trapped in the heater
>>>> lines
>>>> and/or heater core).
>>>>
>>>> Two questions:
>>>>
>>>> 1) What do I need to do (if anything) to ensure the system is
>>>> fully
>>>> purged now?
>>>> 2) What possible adverse effects might there have been from having
>>>> an
>>>> incompletely purged coolant system on a drive like this (including some
>>>> full-throttle periods over the mountain passes)? In particular, of
>>>> course,
>>>> is it likely that I might have damaged or otherwise compromised those
>>>> infamous waterboxer cylinder heads??
>>>>
>>>> Also, a corollary question: I clearly specified that the replacement
>>>> antifreeze must be Volkswagen brand only (in the past, I've had shops
>>>> use
>>>> 'house brand' coolants - i.e. whatever the local tech/guru thought was
>>>> best). How can I verify that the antifreeze used was genuine VW and
>>>> not
>>>> some off-brand?
>>>>
>>>> -Wes
>>>>
>>
>>
>
|