Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:39:17 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: coolant leak story
In-Reply-To: <FB93D327-E0DD-4A0B-BCDD-47D52E1A0B28@shaw.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
That coolant hose being brittle indicates the wrong hose was used there.
Fuel hose is NOT the correct choice. 443-121-107-A is the correct part
number. It is a very flexible hose and good clamps are needed not to cut it.
The oil pressure buzzer is the higher oil pressure switch which is looked at
when engine speed is over 2,000 rpm. May just be a loose wire or the engine
did overheat and the pump lost its prime. Go for the loose wire or bad
connection.
For the temp 2 sensor the connector is the same as for the injectors except
for color. These GM style connectors are available at the FLAPS even at the
help or Cal-Term displays.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Alistair Bell
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 9:19 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: coolant leak story
This just happened to me and while it does not shine a very complimentary
light on my mechanical awareness, the story might be a warning to others.
My '86 syncro still has the original engine in it. I admit to only doing the
bare minimum of work on it mainly because I have been planning (read:
procrastinating) on putting a different engine in it. Yesterday afternoon I
had time to do a couple of things on it which needed doing. One was to
replace the alt/waterpump belt and the powersteering belt. Both were old and
were making noise. The other thing was to clean the temp II sender
connection (it has a broken bit in the plastic and does not make the best of
connections). I had 2 dealer belts, unused in their "Autobahn" cardboard
sleeves. I did not double check the belt sizes, but they only fitted one way
(one was a tad longer - that went on water pump/alt path). That went fine,
but I did notice that the powersteering belt was tight so that the range of
adjustment on the PS pump was at the min. position. I then cleaned the Temp
II connection and started the engine to check all was ok. And it appeared
so.
Fast forward to today. I had to nip back home to take my son to bus stop
(I'm working across the road, and the bus stop is about 2 miles away from
home, we live in a rural area). About 500 metres from bus stop I notice the
coolant warning light is flashing AND the needle is still on cold. It is not
like the two engines have cut out and I am forced to land in the Hudson, but
I am doing that frantic mental checklist and time is slowing down.
I had to get to bus stop (son had to make it to play he is in) , was only
500 meters...
Just before I got there, there was steam coming from rear of van. Son caught
bus, I got to survey damage.
So what had happened was the 8 mm ID hose that runs from head just under PS
bracket to the coolant "ring" that circles the engine had split. I think the
flashing coolant light was due to the low coolant level, the engine was not,
or did not seem to be, overheated. The temp gauge was not working because I
had knocked off the sender wire when I was mucking with the temp II sender.
I called my work partner and he brought some water and replacement hose. The
old hose was so very brittle and I think the PS bracket was pushing on it
due to its position caused by the belt that was shorter than the one it
replaced. The van started up fine after the repair and it seemed (yes, using
"seemed" again) that I did not loose very much coolant. But when I revved
the engine the low oil pressure buzzer went off. Oh darn, I said.
What to do? Did I really toast the engine? To hell with it, I'll drive the 2
miles home. Buzzer was going as I drove, but halfway home the buzzer stopped
sounding. At home a restart and revving did not cause buzzer to sound.
Well it looks like I am forced to get the spare WB off the engine stand and
into the van sooner rather than later. But before I do that I'll stick and
oil pressure gauge on the current engine to see just what kind of pressure I
have.
alistair
