Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2016 12:05:33 -1000
Reply-To: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: Cooling system questions
In-Reply-To: <CAG12aiun-39NQV0_5TMAsjsfSVTBHMqOkPUfb9XXURvax2jzBQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Seems to be a common mus-conception.
Unless you are below say 20 to 25 mph, like in heavy traffic on a warm
day ..
the radiator fan doesn't even need to be on the rig.
- or like on a steep hill at very low speed ..
otherwise, rad fan is Just Not in The Picture.
also ..
in my observation MANY vanagons are running around running Too Cool.
If it does not get up to a good 180+ degrees F ...that wastes fuel, and
helps the engine wear out.
there is also the old trick of driving around a bit, like 20 minutes in
town, warmed up ..
with the rad bleed screw loosened ..so any fizs/bubbles can get expelled
there.
fwiw..all I Ever do is fill 'em, run 'em, get all the coolant I can in them,
then after each warm up/cool down cycle, top of the Pressure Bottle.
Even when changing a whole engine.
another trick for winter operation.
Don't sit around 'warming it up' !! ..this is really really rough on stuff.
start it gently, let it run a bit, then drive gently, with heater,
especially front one, off.
This helps it get to temp sooner.
since the heater circuit is not controlled by any thermstat ( something
a very large number of vanagon owners don't seem to know )
having heater full on from cold makes it take longer to get to full
operating temp.,
so ...no heater for the first 5 minutes say.
Ideal is 'under light load'.
A long downhill from a cold start is not good.
You want 'nice steady gentle load' on it ...
also ...Waterboxer vanagons just can NOT be operated for very short
trips, like in town, in cold winter temps.
They don't like that at all.
Had one van towed in for excessive smoking ..
like injector stuck open, or worn out piston rings of something
...looked like it could have been serious.
after I got down checking it out ...I realized what was going on.
the person drove it 5 blocks, in the dead of winter, in town, then went
shopping.
then drove it 5 blocks home.
Ya cain't do that with a waterboxer vanagon and have it stay healthy or
last as long as they are capable of lasting, which is quite considerable.
cheers, S.
On 2/13/2016 11:01 AM, Rick Cooper wrote:
> Thanks guys, for the good info. Coming up I was getting loads of heat from
> both heaters, which was a lovely change since before I was getting little.
> It was likely the original thermostat (had VW markings) and was stuck open
> -- temp gauge never got higher than 1/3 on the gauge.
>
> I did open the radiator bleed screw/bolt this morning after warming up the
> engine to operating temp, but only got coolant -- at least I didn't hear
> any hissing.
>
> Now I'm back home after putting on another 100 miles this morning.
> Flashing red light on the temp gauge came on twice and both times I pulled
> over immediately expecting to find coolant loss. But none -- I assume
> that, in addition to reporting coolant loss in the reservoir, it also
> reports unacceptable high temp? Anyone know the exact temp that it lights
> up?
> Anyway, in both cases the engine was working hard -- once travelling at
> 65mph with both heaters off and once on a 5 mile climb. In both cases, the
> light stayed out after I turned on both heaters. The real problem though
> is my radiator fan is never coming on. Does this have a fuse I should
> check? Any typical causes for malfunction?
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Rick
>
> On Sat, Feb 13, 2016 at 5:38 AM, kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <
> kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Rick, you should try bleeding it at the radiator just to see what happens
>> but it shouldn't be needed. The 2.1l cooling system actually self bleeds
>> over time so as long as you keep an eye on your coolant level in the
>> expansion tank (the one that you have to open the engine bay lid to see to
>> the left), then it should eventually bleed itself over the course of a
>> couple of days. There is a bleeder screw on the top of the thermostat
>> housing cover that you can open, but only do this for a few days at most as
>> it will keep your coolant from getting hot enough for the heater to work
>> properly. Also if the system is mostly free of air, another way to tell is
>> if your front heater is working properly. It is at high spot in the system
>> and if there is air in the system it won't put out much heat. If the
>> system is bled then it will put out loads of heat.
>>
>> Let us know what you find out.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 7:12 PM, Rick Cooper <rickdcooper@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Two days ago I replaced the big coolant pipe that runs along the LH side
>>> of
>>> the engine (from pump to thermostat area) since it had rust bubbles
>>> happening. Put on a nice shiny stainless steel one from Frank Condelli (
>>>
>>> http://www.frankcondelli.com/staging1/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=61_93_95&product_id=367
>>> ).
>>> At the same time I put in a new thermostat rated for 87 degrees C,
>>> though I'm not sure why -- guess I was tired of a lousy heater.
>>>
>>> Yesterday I did a 100 mile journey and the temp gauge stayed around the
>>> 3/4
>>> to 7/8 position, maybe a needle's width from the high end of the gauge.
>>> This seems high, from what I've read here. I'm wondering whether I've
>>> bled
>>> all the air out of the cooling system and it is running inefficiently. I
>>> lost about a gallon of coolant in replacing the pipe and think I've
>>> replaced about that much. I also topped up the reservoir a couple times
>>> after warming up the engine. This morning (day after my journey), the
>>> reservoir was down a couple of inches so I've topped it up again.
>>>
>>> But I've read here about raising the front of the vehicle and removing a
>>> bleeder cap on the rad. Should I do that and add coolant there?
>>>
>>> Thanks, Rick
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Thanks,
>> Ken Wilford
>> John 3:16
>> www.vanagain.com
>>
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