Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 13:56:23 +0100
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Philippe Oudot <p_oudot@worldnet.fr>
Subject: RE: Nervous about heads
At 09:21 09/01/1997 -0600, you wrote:
>Don asked what Bentley said about testing the expansion tank cap. I don't
>have the Bentley here, but I just went through the process, so I can
>paraphrase what Bentley says:
>
>There are three functions:
>
>1) Seal the expansion tank.
>
>2) Allow pressure to escape out the hose at about 13 PSI.
>
>3) Allow pressure to enter at about -0.3 PSI.
>
>(I don't remember the PSI's exactly, but my numbers are in the range. My
>item numbers may also be in a different order.)
>
>Bentley says only #2 can be checked, and this with a radiator cap tester.
> Of course with the VW threaded design, no standard old US tester will
>work.
>
>I say #1 and #3 are the easy ones to test!
>
>1) Observation. If this is bad, you will see it leaking.
>
>2) As someone else said. Take it to the dealer and be polite. The
> dealer can test this.
>
>3) Also mentioned before:
>
> a) Suck on the hose connector. It should act as if it is sealed.
> This is also a partial test of #2.
>
> b) Blow on the hose connector. It should leak. The old type does so
> gracefully, the newer type does sound like a duck!
>
>My recent failure symptom was transfer of coolant from the expansion tank
>into the coolant overflow tank when I shut the vanagon down when hot.
> Worst case, it occasionally overflowed the coolant overflow tank. I
>concluded that it was the cap's failure to hold pressure (#2 above). I
>checked the cap as above and it failed #3A. No need to have the dealer
>check for #2.
>
>Mike
>
>
>Michael A. Radtke - Z74 Voice: 602-862-4897
>Bull FAX: 4853
>13430 N. Black Canyon Hwy.
>Phoenix, AZ 85029 Email: m.radtke@bull.com
>
>
Hello Mike,
I got a few weeks ago the same problem than yours and I change the cap, but
I'm not sure the problem is really fixed. Also the level of coolant is
changing pretty often in the expansion tank. Sometimes it's full, sometimes
it's half full. Any idea about this? I don't really trust the van right now,
that's why I don't go very far from home. What a shame!! I should ad it's a
turbo diesel but I think there is nothing to do with the cooling system.
Thanks for any good advice,
Philippe Oudot
'89 16" Syncro TD Oettinger
French Syncro Club
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