Date: Wed, 9 May 2012 07:25:52 -0400
Reply-To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Back From Mothballing, Mystery Coolant Leak
In-Reply-To: <4FA4239F.4090502@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Improvise a way to pressurize the cooling system and get under there
and watch. Poke, prod and squeeze the hoses etc. Might help to take
off the grill to see the radiator.
Remove the rubber from and old valve stem or buy one designed for a
truck wheel. Use small hose and clamps to connect it to the outlet
spigot on the pressure cap. Plumb in a pressure gauge if you like for
more information. Apply a bicycle pump.
If your pressure cap is flaky, the leak may tend to be intermittant.
Larry A.
On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 2:44 PM, Rocket J Squirrel
<camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
> We're back!
>
> In preparation for this year's camping season, I've taken Mellow Yellow
> (see sig for description) out of mothballs -- literally: the van was
> sheltered in a Just Kampers cover all winter long and I had a bowl of
> mothballs inside to dissuade mousies. Can't say whether it worked but
> there were no mousies.
>
> Took a few tries to get the engine started but it finally decided I was
> serious and started.
>
> I had a bunch of stuff to take to our storage space so I used that for
> the first drive of the season. While I was waiting for a loading dock to
> become available I noticed a coolant drip from under the right front.
>
> After I did my tasks I drove home and parked the van, climbed underneath
> and espied a drop of coolant at the bottom of the frontmost elbow of the
> lower coolant hose, the radiator's outlet side, according to Bentley 19.12.
>
> There are no visible cracks or failed parts, the clamp looks intact.
>
> I let the engine idle for a bit, but it didn't resume dripping.
>
> I really don't believe it fixed itself, and can't think of why sitting
> outdoors under a cover could have resulted in a leak . . . could just be
> timing.
>
> Suggestions on what I should do at this point? We're pulling the dash
> this weekend to take care of maintenance items, then we plan to go
> camping next weekend. Sure would not like to have the leak come back and
> worsen.
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> Bend, Ore.
> 1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people.
> 1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct company in
> San Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westrailia.
>
> Sent from my kitchen.
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