Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 17:41:43 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Don Kane <dkane@mail.arc.nasa.gov>
Subject:      Re(2): Nervous about heads

At 3:19 PM -0800 1/8/97, cbennett@kpmg.com wrote:
>Don,
>
>Regarding your scary message about the main coolant tank and the recovery tank
>raises a question for me.  How can I tell if the cap on my main coolant
>tank is
>working properly.  I understand it is supposed to release coolant into the
>recovery tank when pressure exceeds a certain limit (what is that I don't
>know),
>and then draw it back in when pressure drops below a threshold pressure (don't
>know that either).  Is there a simple way to test this cap.  Like blowing or
>sucking on it from the front or backside?
>
>Charles

Charles,
	I don't know how you would test it to be sure. I tried blowing and
sucking on the nipple end (watch it here, i may get censored) of both a
brand new one, and one that wasn't letting coolant back into the recovery
tank, and they both had what seemed like similar resistance to the
pressure. When I did the same to the one of the new Westy that wasn't
sucking it into the expansion tank, there was almost no resistance at all.
Makes no sense to me, but it was my observation.
	If there is coolant in the recovery tank, then your expansion tank
the expansion tank should be full. If it isn't then the cap is not working
correctly. Also, I've seen coolant being forced out of the seal for the
coolant level sensor on the expansion tank, and not going into the recovery
tank. This also means the cap is not working correctly.
	Does anyone know the right way to test them? It might be in the
bentley, but that's at home, and I'm still at work.

Don Kane
dkane@mail.arc.nasa.gov
'87 GL
'85 GL
'85 GL Parts van
'84 Westy
'67 Standard Bus