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Date:         Thu, 8 Sep 2011 20:57:01 -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: Problem with 1991 Vanagon cooling system
Comments: To: James Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

I like what Don said .. 'denial.'

how long have the heads been on ? I would look at it this way .. waterboxer heads should come off about every 80,000 miles.

several reasons.. for one ..I can promise you right now some of the exhaust valves are not sealing perfectly anymore. On every last 2.1 waterboxer that I take heads off of.. about two of the exhaust valves are leaking.

two .. the studs can get desperately corroded..and in danger of breaking even, especially when removing the head nuts. so in that respect..is it GOOD to remove the heads ......like every 80K miles.

I will say 2.1 cooling system parts can get quite old. Just had the plastic main pipe insert ( at the front of the van, where it often happens ) blow-out syndrome on my own 87 Wolfsburg..

oh btw....I just did a trip in my 85 Adventurewagon ( 2.1 engine , 1.9 Digiget EFI ) with Water Wetter in the coolant. the temp needle looked glued in place the whole 1,340 mile trip . I'm a believer now. I'm getting some for my Wolfsburg tomorrow.

in any case.. if you have a too high pressure situation.. and it is not being monitored with a pressure gauge .. you can only guess.. either cap is not releasing pressure when it should.. you have run into chronic and endless cooling system parts failure ..not hard to have on a so-many-plastic-parts 2.1 wbxr cooling system.. or .. something is making high pressure.

if the heads have been on a long time.. I would start there, given the 3 reasons above. You could just start with one side and see what you learn doing that.. and ....if the exhaust valves have say .. 8 + years on them.......betcha at least two are not sealing that well. That's what I find in all 2.1 wbxr heads commonly.

Scott www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "James Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 7:11 PM Subject: Re: Problem with 1991 Vanagon cooling system

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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