Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 21:04:31 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: One Time Coolant Leak
In-Reply-To: <020501cda0b3$b59ce180$20d6a480$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
The leak down gauge set quantifies the amount of leakage. Restrain the
engine from turning, bypass the gauge putting shop air pressure directly
into each cylinder and you will find your problems.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Stuart MacMillan
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 11:37 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: One Time Coolant Leak
Yes, the leak down test tells you everything. In my test everything leaked
EXCEPT the head gaskets! Both valves and rings. If you have a failed
gasket it will pressurize the cooling system and eventually bubble into the
coolant bottle. Remove the cap for testing. HF has a decent one and the
cheapest I could find.
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes [mailto:d23haynes57@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 8:43 PM
To: 'Stuart MacMillan'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: One Time Coolant Leak
The downside of that idea is that you also need a combustion problem for it
to work. If the engine is still running properly there should be almost no
unburned HC to be detected. There also is an HC detection kit available for
testing the coolant system. Disconnect the spark plugs one cylinder at a
time during the test to get the unburned HC.
Pressure testing the cylinders can also be an effective method.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Stuart MacMillan
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 9:10 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: One Time Coolant Leak
If all else fails, the definitive test for a blown head is sniffing the
coolant bottle with an emissions tester. Any HC sniffed. . . well, you know
the drill.
Good luck!
Stuart, BTDT
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Rocket J Squirrel
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 9:37 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: One Time Coolant Leak
I'll keep this short. Scout's honor.
On Friday my son and I drove to a trailhead for a weekend hike. The last
8 miles of road are washboardy, gravel, and steep uphill in places (rear
wheels juddering on the gravel). When we arrived I noticed a small puddle
under the rear of the van. I took a look at the refill tank (behind the
licence plate) and the coolant level was up to the lower edge of the filler
cap, and the outside of the tank was wet. It was a cool morning and at no
time did the engine get hot. I've driven this road before, and rougher ones,
with no incident.
I didn't look any further into the situation, we wanted to hit the trail and
whatever had happened could wait until we returned.
On return I was not happy to see that the puddle was still visible, but
maybe coolant doesn't evaporate clean like water. I worried
The refill tank was bone dry. The expansion tank was completely full, and it
looks like just plain coolant.
We filled the refill tank to the "max" line with clean water (about a
liter) and drove off.
We stopped several times on the 130 mile trip home to check the level in the
refill tank and due to the warm engine, it was higher, about 1/3rd up the
filler cap. There were no leaks. When I got home, the level was still 1/3rd
up the fill cap.
This morning, the van cold, the coolant is back to the "max" line.
I was worrying about a head gasket leak or something pressurizing the
cooling system.
But now I think that the more likely explanation might be that the cap was a
little loose and when the coolant expanded it drooled out of the refill
tank. I'm not convinced, though, since the last time I did anything with
that cap was back in April and I've driven a couple thousand miles since
then, on equally rough roads.
Given this information, anyone care to offer another theory about what might
have happened?
--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.
