Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:39:30 -0400
Reply-To: Gabriel Hourtouat <ghourtouat@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Gabriel Hourtouat <ghourtouat@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Coolant Hoses, Complete Set -- Remove and Replace
In-Reply-To: <CAA5WjgiYyC1uqGc2SWA0=27otmT2Se00Kc7Zn30+gomqbpGUng@mail.gmail.com>
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Final shipment of parts arrived today -- van is ready for filling and
leak-check tomorrow. Questions:
-leak check the coolant system with tap water (or De-Ionized water), or be
brave and do it with 50/50 coolant?
-the temp sensors feel loose in the T-stat housing -- should these o-rings
get Aviation Form A Gasket?
-should the T-stat stainless hardware get anti-seize?
Gabby
PS: some extra notes on the job, below:
I think I used all of the LIST'S ABUNDANT TIPS. For example:
-"Once the hoses are off be prepared for the van to stay there ... some
time" -- 14 days and counting.
-WD40 and a hooked tool to prepare the hoses for disconnection;
-spring clamps all round;
-Aviation Gasket thin film to help the hoses float to their low mechanical
stress locations;
-re-used lower T-stat housing vent line -- with cracked and failing ends
amputated ! -- to vent the distribution tower (because the bend is too
tight for the supplied hose);
-used ordinary vice grips for the spring clamps (in spite of having
"splurged" on the GW spring clamp cable pliers -- these are un-sat, even on
a new clamp sitting at the kitchen table);
-Defunkt A/C radiator is still in place;
-lots of prep for containing the expected, predictably-unpredictable mess!
-the stainless hardware for the T-stat sure is NICE.
EXCEPTIONS:
-used bicycle spokes ("DT Swiss" stainless steel) bent to purpose to
support the pipes where I could not re-install the original stainless wire
supports;
-used some rescue tape to make two nesting o-rings to replace a broken
rubber washer for the top dowel/mount of the radiator. (worked great);
-the heater hose RETURN leg runs through the opening above the LEFT side of
the gas tank. It was just too crammed on the right. Didn't see the point.
-had to trim a couple of the big hose connectors to make them fit better
(Tstat to pump suction hose; and Distribution Tower to Pipe);
-used the four GW-supplied screw clamps for the stainless steel
tube-to-tube connections, per GW explicit instructions;
-haven't done the pump discharge to RH head connection hose or the RH head
to vent line connection;
-I don't have much in the way of radiator airflow baffles;
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 12:49 PM Gabriel Hourtouat <ghourtouat@gmail.com>
wrote:
> "For the BEHR brand radiators there is the original version and now the
> "BEHR Service" version. The service version is made in China and it is a
> different core design. Round tubes with straight fins spaced close
> together. "
>
> New radiator arrived from GermanParts.Ca. Box is labelled BEHR HELLA
> SERVICE made in South Africa, year 2017. It has flat tubes with
> bent/corrogated fins, not round tubes with straight fins so will give it a
> whirl and let you know how it goes.
>
> g
>