Date:         Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:59:20 -0800
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: coolant leak story
Comments: To: Tom Carchrae <tom@CARCHRAE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <CAFNeVpE3qjHQZhbEGJE8oM2wRq5bEfdnM-MUY3vZ=pzq8QLQzQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Yes, I agree, I do want to make the engine swap, and I have this WB sitting on engine stand in the workshop. I just don't have the energy/time/motivation to swap it in. Mind you I do seem to have the time to help a friend drop engine and tranny to do gas tank R&R on syncro tisi last weekend. Talk about charity begins at home?

Your story is my nightmare. Setting aside today's events, I do all I that I can to not have a breakdown on a family trip. LAt time I had a tow was on my honeymoon back in '92. That is a story in itself :)

alistair

On 2012-11-27, at 6:45 PM, Tom Carchrae wrote:

> Perhaps not pulling over when the coolant light is flashing is some kind of
> subconscious way of saying you want to do that engine swap. :)
> 
> Of my coolant leaks, I suspect one of them was caused by me working on the
> engine - pinhole leak.  The other two caused by a bad cap.
> 
> My similar tale is seeing the temp rise after a 15km traffic crawl on
> a Canadian highway (cause by mudslide)...  OH WE ARE CLOSE, I SAID, ONLY
> 50M TO THE END OF THIS TRAFFIC MESS.   about 20M to the end it went POP
> HISS.  kids ask, "will we have to sleep here?", mom says "well the tow
> truck won't make it through this traffic mess".  everyone starts crying!
>  seconds later thunder and lightning start.  giant scraping sounds of
> diggers clearing the highway.  oh formative memories!  (we poured whatever
> water we had back into the system - it was the coolant sensor that
> exploded) and limped along.  Very thankful VW coolant sensors are common
> parts ($5 + $70 cab ride) and we were back on the road the next morning.
> 
> ...and drove on another 2000km on that trip.
> 
> Tom