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Date:         Thu, 8 Sep 2011 21:11:14 -0500
Reply-To:     James Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         James Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Problem with 1991 Vanagon cooling system
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <CAHTkEu+1mWE+f2ONFKhdLoW8mhedAe2w+oBXn3JGp1f8YCR9Kw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Don;

I would be tearing into those heads right now I'd there was even one other symptom, like an uphill temp spike or a coolant smell from the exhaust.

Jim

On Sep 8, 2011, at 9:03 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

> I think you are in the Denial phase.... > Aren't you going to admit that all those hoses blowing off and pressure tanks and stuff....you really know you have a head problem, don't you? > > At least, if this were my van behaving this way....I'd be all bummed, knowing that fixing ruptured and blowing hoses is pretty much going to keep on happening till I fixed the real problem..... > > I hope I am way off base with this, but my oh my....what the heck is causing all those hoses to blow, those tanks to split, all that? Over pressure and over heat.... > > Good luck though.... > > > On Thu, Sep 8, 2011 at 6:05 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote: > I am no stranger to Vanagon 2.1 cooling problems, but I could use some > opinions as how to proceed with my daughter's 1991 GL. > > She let it get low on coolant a year or so ago (weird leaks, she has > actually taken pretty good care of the car). But in a year and a half or so, > it is split two primary coolant bottles, popped a hose or two, blew a chunk > out of the rear heater valve housing, and blown the big bottom hose off its > plastic pipe. There have always been other explanations as to these blowouts > and such, but as always those can be rationalizations as much as > explanations. > > It is the plastic pipe problem that I have been dealing with lately. Some > time ago the metal end pulled out of the pipe. I did what I have always > successfully done which is to epoxy it back in and never think about it > again. But today she was driving and it popped loose and drained all the > coolant. She refilled with water and got to my house and I put in an epoxy

> lip around the end of the plastic pipe as I had done many years ago on a > 1990, and never had another issue with it. I actually did a better job on > hers than I did on my Carat, yet the hose blew off with the epoxy lip > minutes after startup. > > I suspect that I have a leaking head gasket overpressurizing the system, but > there are no other symptoms suggesting it. I have not kept coolant in it > recently long enough to tell exhaust gases are dirtying the coolant and I > have not done the overnight cooldown test where you start it up and run it

> for 30 seconds to see if that puts pressure into the coolant system. > > I am going to try this weekend making a wire lip that sits in a groove that > I will dremel into the end of the plastic pipe and see if that holds by > sheer mechanical force. > > Any other suggestions? I especially want to hear from anyone who has > converted to coolant hose to replace the plastic pipe and has details to > share. > > Jim >


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