Date:         Thu, 9 Jul 2015 11:22:46 -0600
Reply-To:     Goetz Aust <gkaust@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Goetz Aust <gkaust@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Logan Pass - blew the expansion tank temp sensor
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Rather an exciting day at the top of Logan Pass in Glacier National Park
yesterday. Wanting to get an early start we arrived at the top of Logans
Pass from the east and in the parking lot by 7AM on a beautiful clear
morning. Nothing unusual going up the pass except for slightly high
temperature.

Steam and coolant spilling out the back and onto the parking lot.  Tried to
cleanup as best as possible using towels and paper towels. Within minutes
the mountain sheep arrived to try to lick the coolant from the trail of
coolant in the parking lot and about 50-100 yards of coolant on of road.
Spent the next 1.5 hours chasing the sheep of the road from one end of the
spill to the other until the Park Ranger arrived. Got many people upset
wanting to take pictures until we explained what we were trying to do. The
biggest ram, named Randy by the park ranger, stayed around for the next +4
hours taking every opportunity possible to get back on the road to lick up
the coolant. Apparently the animals are there every morning to check the
parking lot for coolant and the ranger suggested that the animals knew our
leak before we did just by smelling the air.

After the ranger arrived I managed to find my problem  - the temperature
sensor had broken at the threads, and popped out of the expansion tank and
I knew I wasn't going to be able to fix it especially without access to a
phone or wifi.  We were forced to have our Westy towed down the west side
of the pass to Kalispell. We had hoped to get a flatbed truck but that
didn't happen - nevertheless it was quite the ride going down the west side
of the pass. Fortunately we have AMA (or AAA in the states).

We are currently in Kalispell, the Westy (named Westley by my wife; based
upon the movie line in Princess Bride "my one true love") is at the
Autohaus in Kalispell. The part is on order and we hope to be on the road
tonight.

I'm not much of a mechanic, and surprised the shop didn't have a look at
the engine. They seemed to be comfortable with my interpretation of what
happened.  They quoted me roughly $350 for work that needs to be completed
which seemed excessive but it was explained to me that it will take some
hours to ensure that all the air bubbles will need to be cleared. I'm
hoping that there hasn't been any damage to the motor with such a sudden
loss of coolant even though appeared to shut-down normally. I mentioned
that the fan is pretty load on high but after receiving a quote of $600
plus 4-5 days for the part I turned that down.

We are still hoping to make to the west coast (Washington and Oregon). If
you have anything I should be aware of, recommended repair shops on the way
to Oregon, or things we should see let me know.

Goetz
1987 Westfalia (Westley)



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