Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:37:22 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: 85-H20 loss of coolant mystery
In-Reply-To: <CAA9AikXge914s4mF5QSfHnGbxZSv=CMCdXvJ6aLJaJ9oU7w0+Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Do this at-home test for a head gasket leak (remember that there are two
head gaskets for each cylinder/set on the vanagon, and inner (compression)
gasket and an outer (water) gasket. It is the inner one that can cause
exhaust gases to drive water from your system. To test for compression
leaks, let the engine sit overnight. Start it the next morning and run it
for 30 seconds, which is long enough to let pressure through from the
cylinders to the water, but not long enough to cause pressure from the heat
of running.
Remove the pressure cap. If you hear a burp, you have a leak in the inner
head gasket.
If you have water on the driveway under the heads, you have a leaking outer
gasket.
Either one could be your problem with coolant loss. Or, as mentioned, it
could be the radiator.
Here's what it was for me a few years ago (this was on a diesel, but the
same principle applies): The car would act normally, except for the type of
conditions you describe. Pulling a hill, even a short one, could cause the
temps to rise. I frequently had to add coolant, and couldn't figure out
where it was going. Then I went on an out of town trip with freeway driving.
I was kayaking and lost my glasses in the river. On the way home, the temp
needle rose and the light started flashing. I had water on board in the
westy tank, so refilling on the road was no problem but over the next
hundred miles or so this event happened more and more frequently. Since I
didn't have my glasses, I had to reach into an emergency box for a
magnifying glass. I used it to examine the engine compartment. The strength
of the glass allowed me to see a tiny stream from the end of a hose that I
was never able to see before. It was so small that it was evaporating on the
engine before ever hitting the ground, so I never saw a puddle. I waited for
the engine to cool and cut off the end of the hose, tightened the clamp and
got home just fine.
Jim
On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 12:09 PM, Travis Newhouse
<travisnewhouse@gmail.com>wrote:
> > It was fine for a daily drive of 1 mile each way @ 25 mph.
> > But on the highway @ 55 the cooling system was just too
> > clogged with rust.
>
> That is the opposite of what I'm experiencing, but Loren's suggestion
> makes sense that high speed air velocity may be enough to keep cool,
> but the radiator lacks capacity during stop-and-go with only the fan
> pulling air through the radiator.
>
> Loren mentioned that the radiator may not be able to be flow tested.
> So, how does one diagnose a clogged radiator to decide if it is the
> problem and should be replaced?
>
> The radiator in my 85 Westy was replaced in 2006, and only the blue
> BMW coolant has been used (50-50 with distilled). What is the average
> lifespan before corrosion of the radiator?
>
> Thanks,
> Travis
>
| 
