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Date:         Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:01:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Tom Carchrae <tom@CARCHRAE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Carchrae <tom@CARCHRAE.NET>
Subject:      Re: coolant overflow fears and thoughts
In-Reply-To:  <CAFNeVpFgph49WzTCh4Pdx60PQ5LBHXJja4LZGeGW_JYFTztRDQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Today I put all the fluids back in their places (ie, emptied overflow tank, re-bled system) and for curiosity, I took off the small hose between the expansion tank and the overflow tank. It happened to be the same size as the hose I use to bottle beer, so I stole a bit and replaced it - a temporary fix, I will replace with proper heater hose.

The old hose definitely had holes in it; I tested by partially submersing it in water. The new hose is airtight - and clear - and I saw how it sucked fluid up from the overflow tank when the engine started. I don't know if the hose was original, but it was certainly well worn.

I'm still cautiously optimistic about my heads, will have to see how this holds up on a longer drive, but that will have to wait for a few days (I live on a 5km wide Island with a 40km speed limit).

On Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 7:55 AM, Tom Carchrae <tom@carchrae.net> wrote:

> @Bill - I've blown through that pipe, it is not blocked. In fact, I used > it to drain the extra coolant out of the bottle. I wonder about it being > air tight though, although I've seen no leaks. > > @Dennis - Thanks. I've been tempted to build a cap tester just to confirm > my theory on that cap holding too much pressure. I ended up replacing > bleeder valve assembly, radiator, and at least one hose after that had > happened. The only other thing I can think of that may have caused the > pressure problems was a badly routed front heater bypass job (the heater > hose may have been pinched behind spare tire). > > I have done the combustion gas sniffer test, and it came out ok. I guess > I should have a compression and/or leakdown test done again and see if that > shows any signs. As you alluded, I suspect it may only be failing when > driving/under load. > > Any other ideas to confirm the issue before tearing the engine apart or > replacing... :/ > > Tom > > > > > > On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 3:49 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote: > >> Once the system is bled enough to work it should never need bleeding >> again. >> Normal cycling (heating/cooling) will purge any remaining air out. Anytime >> it has to be bled or topped off between servicing is an indication >> something >> is wrong. From my experience denial never fixes anything. Multiple failed >> hoses are a symptom and I have yet to see a pressure cap fail to open at >> some point. Unexplained coolant loss is often the result of the coolant >> getting forced unseen while you are driving. This usually happens during >> extended highway drives or periods of extended load. The heads are being >> lifted off the cylinders or you have cracks and under these pressure >> conditions the combustion gases are getting into the cooling system. Most >> times the system can take this for some time and even bleed itself out but >> too much for too long things go wrong. The worst is when enough gas gets >> into the system and the water pump stops pumping. The gauge won't indicate >> the lack of flow until thermal cycling gets something to flow, usually >> steam. Coolant rising in the recovery tank with air space in the main >> pressure tank says head problem all over. Coolant blowing out and both >> tanks >> going empty could be a bad pressure cap not holding pressure at all. >> >> Dennis >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf >> Of >> Tom Carchrae >> Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 11:21 AM >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >> Subject: coolant overflow fears and thoughts >> >> My van has been mostly dormant over the winter - although I have been >> driving it every week or two, partly for fun, partly to ward off angry >> lifter noises. It seems mostly happy. >> >> But... >> >> I drove for 2 hours on the highway/city traffic yesterday. Van was >> generally awesome. I was trying to get somewhere in a hurry, so was >> perhaps >> a little heavy on the gas pedal - not that this helped too much, a racing >> van it is not (an 84 - 1.9L). Temps were fine all during the day, (I have >> an aftermarket temp gauge, which was stuck at about 190oC for most of the >> trip) >> >> When I got home I noticed the overflow tank nearly, well, overflowing. I >> thought, well, it is just hot, let it cool, then check it tomorrow. When >> I >> checked the next day, the overflow level was the same (nearly overflowing >> out the tiny air hole in the top). The pressurized expansion tank had >> perhaps an inch or so of air in the top of it. >> >> I have a theory, yet to be checked, that the overflow to expansion tank >> tube >> has a leak/crack in it. I don't see any leaks, but I wonder if sends >> coolant down and, instead of drawing coolant back, it sucks air in >> somewhere. Or, rather, that this is happening somewhere on the cooling >> system. The pressure tank is holding pressure (it releases it when I >> unscrew it), so where else could this happen? >> >> Am I dreaming that a $5 hose could fix my problem? I'll certainly try it >> as >> a solution. Or is this a head gasket job. I had a lot of scares last >> summer in that department (on a 4000km trip) with a few coolant pipe >> explosions - but these seemed resolved when I switched to a new pressure >> cap >> on the expansion tank. decent mechanic in regina didn't think it was head >> gaskets because no overheating. >> >> I should note that before this trip I blew nearly $2k on a mechanic who >> put >> the previous new cap on it - sigh! >> >> So, I'll drain the overflow tank today, bleed the radiator (which I assume >> must need bleeding unless my engine is shrinking) and pour it back into >> the >> expansion tank. >> >> Also, how clean should your coolant look? I've done a CO2 sniff test on >> it, >> but it still looks a bit filthy to me. Granted, I did perform two coolant >> pipe operations where I 'captured and recycled' the coolant - as you would >> on the side of the road. >> >> So yeah, I guess it looks like I need to schedule some time to do my head >> gaskets. Or new engine. Or I just keep creeping around and shuffling >> fluid/bleeding air. >> >> What would you do? Time is a bit scarce for me at the moment. Never >> done a >> head gasket job - but I have some new fuel lines I'd like to install and >> why >> not take off a few more bolts and change the gaskets, huh?.. :) >> >> Thanks, >> >> Tom >> > >


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