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Date:         Thu, 15 Oct 2015 13:35:18 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Problem with customer van that is driving me crazy
Comments: To: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

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)<mailto:kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET> Sent: ‎10/‎15/‎2015 1:23 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto: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


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