Date: Sun, 21 May 2017 18:39:57 +0000
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: What can go wrong.....
In-Reply-To: <CAOXGjp=VQBU2J1+E17vKwZdW3JDLWyOXZffe=ZnQcfNhBa75qQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1256"
Yes, the word "not" is missing.
Sorry for the confusion.
Dennis
Dennis,
From my phone.
________________________________
From: George Gaudette<mailto:gcgaudette@GMAIL.COM>
Sent: ý5/ý21/ý2017 11:45 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Subject: Re: What can go wrong.....
Can someone say a few more words about this?:
"If the engine is completely filled with coolant the system will not build
pressure and micro boiling and vaporizing will do damage to the cylinder
walls and head studs"
I'm thinking the word "not" might have been accidentally left out ("If the
engine is **not** filled..."). If so, not further explanation requested.
-George
On Wed, May 17, 2017 at 10:04 PM, Stacy Schneider <vwcrewman@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Ty Wraps holding that tube is a bad idea. Most Ty Wraps are not
> rated for heat or chemicals, very few of them are even rated for UV.
> I would replace them with a proper screw type hose clamp or even
> some thin bailing wire properly secured.
> I think with the demise of Unions and proper trade school
> training, technicians don't know when to use what type of fastener where or
> even what grade hardware is.
> The biggest thing I see when I pick up my vehicles from the
> shop is bolts put on with no washers or the hardware being too long.
> Speaking of Ty Wraps, I am surprised how few mechanics have a
> proper Ty Wrap tool and just leave little knife like sharp edges when done
> cutting them.
> I am a hardware and detail guy and stuff like this just bugs me.
>
> Stacy
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On May 17, 2017, at 2:47 PM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Dennis,
> >
> > Points taken. I told him about the coolant loss. He certainly added
> > coolant as there was much more in there than when I took it in.
> > Whether or not it was properly bled is a good question. And I'll make
> sure
> > it is done correctly. I have a perfectly slanted driveway
> > just for this purpose.. ;) Thanks again for your superb wisdom.
> >
> > Steven
> >
> > On Wed, May 17, 2017 at 5:36 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Some thoughts:
> >> Did you instruct the shop to "only replace the belts"?
> >> When a vehicle is brought to me after an overheat, especially a boil
> over
> >> a more detailed approach is needed before releasing back into service.
> >> Of the two tanks there is the pressure or expansion tank, and the
> overflow
> >> or really the recovery tank. Make up coolant from the recovery tank
> back to
> >> the pressure tank or main system only occurs during cool down cycles. It
> >> does not occur during normal driving except maybe after the radiator fan
> >> cycles. But that is minimal. Whenever there is a significant loss the
> >> system has to be topped off by removing the pressure cap and topping off
> >> that tank. Ideally cold engine, just start it, and fill tank to top.
> After
> >> a massive loss the system should also be bled.
> >> A partially charged system may work for some time on the 2.1. Hopefully
> >> the system will fill from the recovery tank after a few cycles. If the
> >> engine is completely filled with coolant the system will not build
> pressure
> >> and micro boiling and vaporizing will do damage to the cylinder walls
> and
> >> head studs. Google cylinder cavitation erosion especially ford Diesels.
> >> The WaterBoxer equivalent is busted studs.
> >> Also, after the event the system and particularly the cap should be
> tested
> >> for proper operation. The cap does not like steam. When the cap fails it
> >> usually will fail to hold pressure and in addition to the vapor problem
> >> noted above you can have an unexpected surprise coolant burp out at the
> >> worst possible time. Usually during or just after an extended highway
> run.
> >> Think of a pot on a stove. The coolant temp may be under control (bulk)
> but
> >> many parts are a lot hotter than the coolant. Lose pressure to contain
> the
> >> vapors or when flow changes due to say slowing down and all that heats
> gets
> >> to the coolant boiling off we go! Let that pot go dry and burn the
> bottom.
> >> Let the engine go dry and you burn the insides.
> >>
> >> It is possible that you avoided damage but you really need to
> investigate
> >> everything to avoid future surprises. Many parts in these vans are old
> and
> >> not tolerant of abuse. It's never fun to wait for a tow truck especially
> >> when far from home.
> >>
> >> Dennis
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> >> Of Steven Johnson
> >> Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2017 4:17 PM
> >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> Subject: Re: What can go wrong.....
> >>
> >> Here's an update. Last night I worked on the van. Removing the AC
> belt
> >> was a problem
> >> as I could not get it off of the main engine pulley. Turns out there
> was
> >> an obstruction that
> >> I could not remove to save my life. I cut the AC belt and tried all
> kinds
> >> of ways to push this
> >> obstruction out but no-go. I finally threw in the towel and gave up.
> I
> >> had the camper towed
> >> to Lonnie's University VW in Durham. He ordered all three belts and
> had
> >> them installed and
> >> the van ready to go at about 1:30PM. When I got there I paid the bill
> and
> >> checked the engine
> >> compartment. The belts looked good and the oil dipstick tube was
> secured
> >> with..... tie wraps.
> >> I will have to keep an eye on those. There was no coolant in the
> overflow
> >> and the evaporation
> >> tank was down about 1.5 inches. I added coolant up to the max line on
> the
> >> overflow. And drove
> >> it about 8 - 10 miles to my work. No undue temperature indications from
> >> the temp gauge. No drama
> >> lights. Everything seemed normal. When I got to my work I peaked
> >> through the license plate
> >> access and saw that the coolant was down only a little in the overflow.
> >> I'll check it again before
> >> I drive home.
> >>
> >> It seems to run okay and I didn't see any drips. Definitely keeping an
> >> eye on it for a while
> >> and find a better solution for the dip stick holder.
> >>
> >> Thanks all for your extremely valuable input.
> >>
> >>
> >> BTW.... the obstruction was a strange small piece of pressed wood
> >> fragment. I have no idea how
> >> it got in there.....
> >>
> >> Steven
> >> 91 Westy
> >>
> >> On Mon, May 15, 2017 at 10:13 AM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@gmail.com
> >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> 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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