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Date:         Wed, 18 Dec 1996 14:52:33 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David E Most <most@gibbs.oit.unc.edu>
Subject:      Re: need help with coolant leak

Thanks for the info Joel. I called the dealer in Fort collins a little earlier, and they had both the flange and the gasket in stock. I guess I wasn't paying close attention to that thread earlier. Since the wind chill is about -30 here today, I'm gonna let one of the local mechanic take care of it. I try to do everything myself, but I don't have a garage to work in. He's a good guy too, so I don't mind supporting him a bit. On another note, the dealer here, though expensive, has many competent people with repsect to vanagons unlike my experience in the carolinas. It could have something to do with the fact that in Denver, boulder, and fort collins, it's hard to drive anywhere for a few minutes without seeing vanagons. In the carolinas, I could drive all day and not find someone who had even hear of a vanagon.

So, once this flange is replaced, does that take care of it for life for most vanagons?

david

On Wed, 18 Dec 1996, Joel Walker wrote:

> Date: Wed, 18 Dec 96 13:41:17 CST > From: Joel Walker <JWALKER@UA1VM.UA.EDU> > To: David E Most <most@gibbs.oit.unc.edu>, > Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu> > Subject: Re: need help with coolant leak > > On Wed, 18 Dec 1996 10:40:19 -0600 you said: > >THis description isn't very precise, but I hope someon knows what I'm > >talking about. ANyway, there's coolant leaking at the point where this > >piece meets the cylinder head. Do I need to replace this piece, or is > >there a gasket between this piece and the head? I've been told that this > >piece can break (is it plastic?), but as I said, I don't really know what > >to call it. I think somethinge may have happened in the cold yesterday > >to cause this problem. By the way, it's an '87. > > yup. that's the infamous Plastic Flange that we've talked about. yes, you > need to replace the flange (the old one is plastic, and the new one is > metal). > BUT! there is an o-ring under the flange. and the new one does NOT have > a place to "hold" the o-ring. :( i had to use some NAPA generic gasket > material to get it to seal: > > NAPA Thermostats Part No. STM-1 > Adhesive Backed heady duty Gasket Material > for proper sealing of > * thermostats * carburetors > * water pumps * fuel pumps > and for general household use <sic!!> > self adherinng * no gasket cement needed > for all gasket uses involving oils, fuels and water > temperatures up to 300 degrees F. > a product of Standard-Thomson Corporation > Waltham, MA. USA > > anyway, it works. clean the antifreeze off the engine side (you'll loose > a LOT of coolant when you remove the flange. be prepared. but when you > refill the coolant tank, it refills the engine and bleeding the radiator > bleed screw produced no air (on my 88)). "a lot" being about the whole > coolant tank's worth. so you'll need at least a gallon of 50-50 mix to > refill it. and make SURE you get it sealed (with a good gasket) BEFORE > you refill it ... my first attempts with the dealer-supplied o-ring ("we > don't show any other 'new gasket'") didn't seal and i had to lose all that > coolant again when i removed the new flange to reseal it. :( > joel > > here's the part number info: > > Import Service, March '90 Vol3, No 3 > Vanagon coolant leakage > > "A damaged plastic coolant return flange located at the rear of the > right cylinder head can cause coolant leakage on 86-88 models. The > plastic flange is close to the engine's drive belts and can be > damaged by a loose or broken belt. Engine overheating can also warp > the sealing surface of the flange, causing coolant leakage and more > overheating. > > To correct (or avoid) these problems, replace the damaged plastic > flange with a metal coolant return flange, P/N 025 121 160 D, and > gasket P/N N 901 685 01." > > From: "Dan Houg" <fairwind@northernnet.com> >


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