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Date:         Thu, 15 Oct 2015 13:48:53 -0400
Reply-To:     "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Problem with customer van that is driving me crazy
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY405-EAS23135C58619BED2AB007AFA03E0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

It is a 1.9l, but I can do it on the bleeder assembly on the firewall. I thought the cap was supposed to hold at least 14 psi? I will let you know what I find.

Ken

On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 1:35 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Disconnect the hose to the valve at the thermostat and use that hose as a > test port. You want to see the cap open 12-16 psi and close solidly when > the pressure drops. > > Dennis, > From my phone. > ------------------------------ > From: kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> > Sent: ‎10/‎15/‎2015 1:23 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Problem with customer van that is driving me crazy > > What kind of tester would you suggest? I pump up the system with a hand > pump connected to the cap nipple when I am checking for leaks (14 psi). I > don't have the adapter for the top of the tank. The system is holding > pressure, I was just saying that it doesn't seem that pressure is building > up over miles/time. At least so far. I was really trying to push the van > yesterday driving at 70-75 mph for almost 2 hours. However it was just me > in the van and I am here in NJ with really no mountains or hills. The only > variable is that she lives in PA and usually she loads down the van with > hammocks that she sells at shows. > > Ken > > On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 12:20 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> > wrote: > > > There should be some pressure. Cracked or lose heads can be real > > intermittent with causing trouble. Both load and speed can have an > > effect. Easy cruising may be ok but added load can lift those lose heads > > and cause grief. Pressure test the system including the cap. The system > has > > to operate under pressure and it should hold up to 240f. > > > > Dennis, > > From my phone. > > ------------------------------ > > From: kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> > > Sent: ‎10/‎15/‎2015 12:04 PM > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > Subject: Re: Problem with customer van that is driving me crazy > > > > Dennis, I drove it 100 miles yesterday. There is no pressure building up > > in the system at all. The coolant is at the same level it was before I > > left on my trip, the hoses aren't under any sort of pressure at all now > > that the thing has cooled down. Wouldn't combustion gasses build up over > > time and balloon the hoses? > > > > Ken > > > > On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 11:21 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com > > > > wrote: > > > > > A properly working cooling system should allow for significant over > > > temperature operation before puking coolant. The off highway puking is > > due > > > to combustion gasses pumping in and when the water pump slows down that > > > inlet suction is lost and out comes the coolant . > > > > > > Dennis, > > > From my phone. > > > ------------------------------ > > > From: kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> > > > Sent: ‎10/‎15/‎2015 11:03 AM > > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > > Subject: Re: Problem with customer van that is driving me crazy > > > > > > At highway speeds the van is fine. The first complaint with this > engine > > > was coming off of the highway and into a gas station. Then the fan > > didn't > > > come on, and the overflow tank behind the license plate overflowed. > What > > > is why I am thinking it is related to the fan. All of the head leaks I > > > have dealt with have surfaced in 50 miles of driving or less and have > > given > > > me a positive test on my combustion gas leak tester (fluid that changes > > > color). This one drove 500 miles before the first problem and won't > test > > > positive no matter how hot the engine is (I had it up the full hot on > the > > > last test). > > > > > > Ken > > > > > > On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 9:58 AM, Dennis Haynes < > d23haynes57@hotmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Check the head nuts for proper torque. If any are loose the studs > > should > > > > probably be replaced. Next suggestion is to go to the 2.1 cooling > > system. > > > > On the highway the radiator fan should not be needed except for AC or > > > > extremely hot weather. Make sure the air guides are in place. If the > > fan > > > is > > > > needed at highway speeds you need a radiator. > > > > > > > > Dennis, > > > > From my phone. > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > From: kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> > > > > > > > Sent: ‎10/‎15/‎2015 9:43 AM > > > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > > > Subject: Problem with customer van that is driving me crazy > > > > > > > > Dear List, > > > > > > > > Last year I rebuilt a 2.1l engine and installed it in a customer's > beat > > > up > > > > but functional 85 Westy Weekender. The engine ran great and there > were > > > > really no problems until almost at the end of the 12 month warranty. > > The > > > > customer only had 5k miles on the engine and it started having oil > > leaks > > > at > > > > the push rod tubes. I repaired this, then it started leaking at the > > > front > > > > and rear main seals and the leaks seemed to get worse as she drive > > more. > > > > > > > > She brought it back again and I replaced the engine with another low > > > > mileage rebuilt engine that I had just bought from someone doing a > > Subaru > > > > conversion. That engine had just driven from New Jersey to Canada > > (Bens > > > > Place shop) to get the conversion done with no issues. I installed > the > > > 2nd > > > > engine and everything seemed fine. Test drove it 50 miles here > before > > I > > > > would let her pick it up. She picked it up and drove around a few > days > > > and > > > > everything was fine. Went to drive to Michigan and got about 500 > miles > > > > away before the next incident. She pulled off of the highway and got > > to > > > a > > > > gas station when the coolant bottle in the rear released pressure and > > > > coolant went everywhere. > > > > > > > > Took it to a very reputable Vanagon shop in the area and they tested > > the > > > > radiator fan which is what I thought caused it, and said that it was > > > > working fine. Did some tests to see if the head gaskets had failed > and > > > > none of those tests came back positive. They had a strange > hypothesis > > > that > > > > even though the tests came back negative, that when the van was > driving > > > > down the road, under heavy load, there would be a very small > combustion > > > gas > > > > leak into the cooling system which would eventually lock up the > system > > > and > > > > cause the van to overheat. This theory was not confirmed by testing > > > > because all of the tests for combustion gases in the cooling system > > that > > > > the shop did and that I have done since then (4 altogether) have all > > come > > > > back negative. > > > > > > > > I got the van back here again and the coolant tank cap had failed (it > > was > > > > brand new German). I replaced that and then went to test the > radiator > > > fan > > > > myself. The fan worked at first then didn't work. I went to check > the > > > > fuse and it was super old and crusty looking. I threw it away, > cleaned > > > up > > > > the contacts at the fuse panel and installed a brand new one. Now > the > > > fan > > > > was working every time. > > > > > > > > Jumped in the van and drove for 2 hours at 70-75 mph on the high way, > > > > stopping a few times to use the rest room, and check to see if the > fan > > > was > > > > working properly. Everything worked perfectly. Drove 100 miles no > > > issues > > > > at all, van running great. > > > > > > > > At this point I am thinking that the radiator fan was occasionally > not > > > > working. This would allow the van to overheat randomly. I even > think > > > that > > > > my oil leaks on the first motor could have been caused by the > > > overheating, > > > > but I am not sure how to prove it. > > > > > > > > The customer has very little confidence in the van at this point. > She > > > > thinks it needs heads and head gaskets. I would be glad to do that > > work, > > > > if I thought it was really the problem, or if there was a test I > could > > do > > > > that would prove it to me. I would hate to go to all of the extra > work > > > and > > > > expense of doing the head gaskets and new heads only to have her get > > > > another 1000 miles down the road and have the same thing happen > again. > > > > > > > > Any advice or help on this would be appreciated. I am just trying to > > do > > > my > > > > best for this customer and get her a reliable van. > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Thanks, > > > > Ken Wilford > > > > John 3:16 > > > > www.vanagain.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Thanks, > > > Ken Wilford > > > John 3:16 > > > www.vanagain.com > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Thanks, > > Ken Wilford > > John 3:16 > > www.vanagain.com > > > > > > -- > Thanks, > Ken Wilford > John 3:16 > www.vanagain.com >

-- Thanks, Ken Wilford John 3:16 www.vanagain.com


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