Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 19:20:18 -0400
Reply-To: pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Recommendations, anyone?
In-Reply-To: <20120709111935.U6ARX.461290.imail@eastrmwml302>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I'm just going to voice a little friendly disagreement.
I think it should not be considered necessary for every vanagon owner to
replace all of their coolant hoses before driving everywhere.
It is quite expensive to do so. And do the hoses really fail that often?
I wouldn't be surprised if head gaskets blow more often than hoses which
have not been recently disturbed. And surely we aren't going to tell him
to do his head gaskets preventively before going anywhere.
For most of us vanagon repairs have to be prioritized. I would prioritize
replacing a radiator before replacing "all coolant lines" and the radiator
is a lot cheaper.
Fuel lines are another matter. Yes we should all do our fuel lines.
Should he skip a trip this weekend until they are done?
Maybe.... The point of doing fuel lines is to minimize the probability of
catastrophic failure. I don't think skipping one trip while he gets his
ducks in a row is going to change that small probability that much. He can
always do a quick check for any obvious leaks before leaving. And carry a
fire extinguisher! (really!)
I do carry one of these emergency hose kits in our van:
http://www.amazon.com/Victor-RADIATOR-HOSE-REPAIR-KIT/dp/B001B58ZPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341875892&sr=8-1&keywords=emergency+radiator+hose+kit
Although, in more than 10 years of driving these vans, I have never
replaced a coolant hose, and never had one fail. Do make sure your
coolant level sensor is functional.
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:19 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> Gab, two things to do for certain before going on any trips: Replace all
> the coolant hoses, and all the fuel hoses. When you replace the fuel
> hoses, make sure you eliminate the connector at the front engine bulkhead
> (firewall). The hoses, and particularly that plastic connector, if not
> known to have been replaced, are a fire in the making. They are 26-27
> years old. The same is true of the coolant hoses. Though they won't start
> a fire, they will stop you, absolutely, and damage your engine if they
> fail. At the same time, replace plastic parts in the cooling system.
>
>