Date:         Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:32:28 -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: 85-H20 loss of coolant mystery
Comments: To: Travis Newhouse <travisnewhouse@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

Your radiator should still be fine if it's only 5 years old.

when the rad fan is on, plenty of heat-removing air flows through the fins
on the radiator ..
should not be an issue there.

if it's the same case, my attention was immediately drawn to the bubbles
flowing from engine into pressure bottle, if I read that right.

that says exhaust getting into the coolant to me.
It can be intermittent.
It's fairly common.

Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Travis Newhouse" <travisnewhouse@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: 85-H20 loss of coolant mystery


>> 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