Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:37:02 -0400
Reply-To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Botched Coolant Flush Implications?
In-Reply-To: <009101cc2b91$a2442910$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
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
>>>
>
>
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