Date:         Tue, 31 Dec 2013 15:38:28 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Overheating
Comments: To: raceingcajun <raceingcajun@communicomm.com>
In-Reply-To:  <1E0DDB4ED6D8444CB2E8E2CE8C8E8F3B@MAINFRAME>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Yes, that would be the first thing to look at. Tomorrow or maybe later
today start it from cold with the engine compartment open. Let it run for
30 seconds, no more. Take off the coolant tank cap. If you hear a burp,
it's a head gasket.

It may not be as simple as this since some leaks only show up when the
engine is under demand as when pulling a hill. You can look and see if the
water is contaminated with oil. You can rev the engine with the cap off and
see if a stream of bubbles appears when you do.

Other things to consider a flushing the radiator (it's never been that for
me) and changing the thermostat. My wife has an Acura with the very tip
broken off the thermostat actuator rod. If the rid hit the hole right when
the engine warmed up, it drove fine. If not, it went nuts.

Jim


On Tue, Dec 31, 2013 at 3:04 PM, raceingcajun
<raceingcajun@communicomm.com>wrote:

> Check for a blown head gasket! Sorry.
>
> Subject: Overheating
>
> I've got an 82 diesel, she's overheating. On 5 hour road trip, after hour 4
> started blowing cold air then back to hot, then cold again. Soon the needle
> raised up and light flashed. Had extra coolant with me, while topping off
> expansion saw that the cloth wrapped hose to fill tank had come off.
> Replaced and gingerly made it to destination. Stopped three times to let
> cool. I figured I'd gotten air into the system and needed to bleed it out.
> I've done that today--with little success. Got it up to temp, parked on a
> ridiculous incline to get the air up to the radiator. Not much hissing.
> After 8 attempts only once did coolant bleed out. Air continued to blow
> mostly cold with heat cranked, occasionally while driving around it warmed
> a
> little. Needle would raise at low RPM's then return closer to the middle
> when I revved it up. Even at slower speeds with engine revved it would
> cool--that confuses me a bit as little air is moving over
> the radiator--makes me think it'd be hotter.
>