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Date:         Sat, 12 Dec 2015 00:13:33 -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: Sick sick sick of diesel Vanagon cooling problems
Comments: To: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAG0-GTwYtcWJfwsamBHiUhM_dfJ3Y+qVN6wvEoaPMNC6wSjS9g@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

a handy trick to remember... Drive a while, like around town, with the radiator bleed screw loostened some. Any air at the top of the rad will be expelled along with a small amount of coolant. After a while, tighten the bleed screw.

a odd feature I suspect many diesel vanagon owners do not know about the Octopus Hose ( didn't know myself for a long time ) .. the branch that goes to the top of the pressure bottle .. while it may Look like a regular hose , in size .. internally, where it joins the larger part of the octopus hose ...it's not full flow there. ..it's mostly blocked except for an air bleed hole. That is so any air that's in the engine will be directed to the top of the pressure tank . It's a very hidden but smart feature.

any time 'diesel vanagon' cooling hose layout is being reproduced for another application .. it's very very important to follow the exact, exact hose layout.

for example..on one conversion I ran the return line from the oil cooler to 'just some return hose' ...( main or heater return ) That won't work ..it has to be to exactly the 'return hose' as it is in a diesel vanagon.

if you really think about it hard, and consider the t-stat has two openings and two pathways .. it's very clever how coolant flows in the bypass hose on the side of the block when the engine is cold, then as it warms up and the t-stat starts changing to warm/hot mode, that pathway is blocked, and coolant goes thorough the oil cooler.

if one mixes up 'jetta oil cooler hose layout' and 'diesel vanagon oil cooler hose layout' ...one can get the issue I mention above.

bottom line, there is more cleverness to the diesel vanagon hose layout in the engine compartment than is readily apparent.

happy dieseling and please turn the things off when not underway !!!!

Scott

On 12/11/2015 5:56 AM, Roger Whittaker wrote: > Dear coolant > > We had that issue on out 1989 California model Diesel after we had the > engine replaced in Idaho - > I was very frustrated and called the shop a bazillion times - always blamed > on the air - I fought it all the way to Oakland Oregon where - while parked > on a hill so as to get air to the top I bled it off - and yes it took a > long time and a lot of coolant - > Where the old coolant went I have no idea - > Well part idea - sometimes when the light came on and alarm went off and > needle went up - all at the same time - we would pull over and twice when I > opened the resivior - there would be gurgle and then out it would come - > once it filled resivior with so much hot air it expanded to enormous size - > I still have new one in shop - even though our beloved California is long > gone - sigh we still miss her- > The neat part was the forced long stops while we waited it out - > Oakland was amazing and we ended up there as a stop measure after sitting > once again on the highway off ramp forever while it cooled - > We ended up overnighting in the van in Oakland Oregon - took loads of > coolant there and at one point a OHP Pulled over - a huge puddle of hot > coolant was spilling out - as I had just stopped - > I thought for sure I was going to get some sort of EPA ticket --- > Indeed not - he simply wanted to make sure we were ok and had the resources > to handle the situation - STEAM was a pouring out of everywhere - > I had bought some extra engine plumbing bits that were correct from Scott > in Medford - thanks Scott :) and we made it home to beautiful BC with out > further incident after OakLand - > We both liked the library in Oakland :) > > So bottom line - drive a little til hot but not over heated - hill with > stern down - bleed at rad - drive a little til hot but not over heated- > hill with stern down - bleed at rad - and so on and so on and so on - have > an extra jug of coolant along - > Also a tray for drips if required - > > Good luck > > Regards > > > On Thursday, December 10, 2015, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Two weeks ago I completed the conversion of my diesel Vanagon Westy turbo >> diesel over to the new style tank with new engine hoses. As I write this I >> am sitting in a Hardee's parking lot waiting for about the 15th time in the >> last two weeks for my engine temps to go down to the point I can drive the >> car. Before I left home for the short drive, I bled the cooling system >> according to the Bentley for the eighth or 10th time since making the >> conversion. I have only managed to have heat from the heater once or twice >> in the last two weeks. I am on my second blue coolant In that time. When I >> wake up in the morning I check it first thing. Always there is considerable >> pressure left in the system from the night before. I installed a new >> thermostat. I tested the old thermostat and the new thermostat on the >> stove, and they both operated exactly the same. I put the new one in >> anyway. Usually I can drive somewhere as to a store maybe 4 miles away. >> Going to a store or on an errand it's likely to run just fine with the >> needle steady in the center all the way there. Then on the way back I >> typically have to pull over just like I have done now. I can let it cool >> down maybe leasing the L some air out, and then be on my way with a >> slightly hi or sometimes normal temp gauge. I never know what to expect. >> But no longer can listen to audio because I have to keep my attention >> riveted on the temp gauge. It's not leaking. I'm not losing coolant. I just >> can't get rid of this air bubble. I don't think I have a leaking head >> gasket because yesterday I drove to a town 100 miles away and back without >> really having any problems. There are some steep hills along the way. The >> temperature stayed normal. I don't find any soot in the coolant or water in >> the oil. >> >> Any ideas? The temps were perfect before my "upgrade." >> >> Jim > > > -- > roger whittaker 604.414.6266 > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > http://www.tvthatworks.com > http://www.tvpowellriver.com > LinkedIn - > > - ca.linkedin.com/pub/roger-whittaker/14/78a/b71/Explore printed work at: > http://www.prliving.ca/ > View the growing list of video work at: > http://www.youtube.com/user/LastonLastof#g/u > http://vimeo.com/42309497 > > http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f80d228504902172.txt >


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