Date: Mon, 15 May 2017 10:12:41 -0600
Reply-To: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: What can go wrong.....
In-Reply-To: <CY1PR20MB002978FAEBAF1420CC167DCBA0E10@CY1PR20MB0029.namprd20.prod.outlook.com>
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The sense that I make of this is that there may not have been enough time between BeltBreaks & CoolantGauge Reaction for
an OverHeat to have happened ~ Possibly a Substantial Leak was created by Flying Objects & the CoolantLevel Dropped enough to
Trigger the Warning ~
ORR ~ DeanB
On 15 May , 2017, at 8:50 AM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> There was some time between the belt failing and the overheat situation. A key point is that once the water pump stops the gauge will not register the overheating until after the boiling over begins. The engine at this point has suffered a trauma and you may get away with for now some damage has been done. Had gasket and stud failures along with cracks are often the result of past traumas.
>
> Since this was an accident (non-collision) there may be some coverage if you have compensation insurance. As part of the repair effort you need to inspect-test all those plastic parts in addition to the hoses and also the radiator and heater cores. If you still have the plastic coolant pipes remove the hoses and inspect the ends. These events are the main reason they fail.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Steven Johnson
> Sent: Monday, May 15, 2017 10:13 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: What can go wrong.....
>
> Well, it happened, the patient is a 91 Westfalia. I had left a rag in the engine compartment after topping of the power steering reservoir with the Castrol Dextron ATF.
> So, in the short
> term, it knocked out the bracket holding the dipstick. At the time that was the only damage
> done. So I fixed this by tie-wrapping the bracket out of the way of the
> moving belts.
>
> Fast-forward to yesterday, I took a road trip from Durham, NC up to Laurel, MD without issue.
> But on the way back my battery/alt. light came on steady and shortly after the coolant light began to blink and the gauge went up toward critical red. I took my foot off the accelerator and was able to coast off on a exit and right into a gas station. By the time I got out and took a look behind I could see coolant spurting out. Looks like I lost maybe a quart
> or so. I could not tell where it had sprayed from at all. The
> alternator/waterpump belt
> was completely shredded and the power steering pump belt was off but looks okay as is the AC belt.
>
> I thought about getting the spare belts out but I had a long way to go and by the time I got it
> done I don't think I could have driven back without some sleep time. So,
> I opted for
> a AAA flatbed home. (Especially since I had to go to work Monday. I was
> covered for the
> first 100 miles but the second I had to fork out $4.00 per mile. I ate
> the deal and was dropped
> off at 1:00AM this morning. All because I left a rag in my engine
> compartment and neglected
> to fix the bracket like I should have.
>
> Any suggestions on how to better secure the bracket?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steven
> 91 Westy
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