Date:         Thu, 12 Jun 1997 09:45:48 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Katsuki <katsuki@bbn.com>
Subject:      Re: '84 problem

Bruce,

I think you can safely drive the distance if you fill the cooling system
first.    It's not too hard:

This assumes you aren't really a Vanagon repair person yet.   Procedure
somewhat simplified from the version in the manual.      Apologies if I
over-explain!

Engine turned off.   Van on a level (mostly) Engine cover off, looking down
at the engine, at rear left is the coolant reservoir.    This is not the
tank you fill from behind the license plate, but is hooked to it.   Remove
the wire plug from the pressure cap on the tank and take off the hose
leading to the overflow tank (the one you fill behind the license plate).
 BE SURE ENGINE is COOL!     Take off cap and fill as full as you can with
the right coolant.    Bounce the car to get as much air out as possible and
add coolant until full.   Turn the heater temperature levers to hot (front
and rear). Then (handbrake on, in neutral) with the pressure cap still off,
start the engine and have someone rev the engine to about 2500-3000 RPM (if
you don't have a tach on the van, make it sound noisy but not like it's
going to blow up (...).    While the engine is going fast, the coolant
level in the coolant reservoir  will go down.   Add as much coolant as you
can and replace the cap.    Shut off the engine and replace the overflow
hose you took off and the wires to the pressure cap.      Drive the van
around for 5-10 minutes and stop, let it COOL OFF and look at the outside
of the coolant reservoir  to see if the coolant level is right up at the
top (i.e. no air).   If there is air, start the engine, rev to 2500-3000
RPM again and remove the pressure cap, add coolant until full and replace
before slowing the engine.   This should put enough coolant in the van to
get you safely to a repair person if you watch the temp.

The next phase involves bleeding the air out at the radiator with the front
end elevated.    Would be good to do this (I can detail if you want, and
it's in the Bentley manual) but you can get to a repair person without
doing this if you are careful watching the temp.   

Incidently, on an 84, probably all of your hoses are pretty ripe for
replacement

Dave

At 08:48 PM 6/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Volks:
>
>I am the DCO (Dreaded Current Owner) of a gorgeous 1984 Westy with 71,000
>original miles on it. We've had two recent problems. First came the slow
>oil leak. Then came the red overheating light.
>
>Being basically a clueless DCO (see above) I brought our bus to the
>friendly independent garage that has worked on it in the past and pleaded
>for mercy.
>
>(While I was at it, I  brought along a condensed version of information
>about coolants and phosphate gleaned from this list and the archives. The
>coolant hadn't been checked since coming out of winter storage and I
>figured as long as the bus was in the shop it was high time we did
>something about it.)
>
>Well, I picked the bus up today and found myself $110 poorer. I wasn't
>complaining though, because they said everything was fixed. They had
>replaced a radiator hose and a $10 oil "sender." The leak was gone and it
>shouldn't overheat they said.
>
>Tell it to my wife, who saw the red light come on a half hour after leaving
>the shop and then sat for 45 minutes before nursing the bus the last two
>miles home.
>
>I guess I should have been a little suspicious when the mechanic said he
>didn't "top off" the coolant because "there aren't no such thing" as a
>coolant without phosphates. "That's what makes them work," he said, looking
>at me as if I was more of an auto idiot than I am. Of course, "Topping off"
>wasn't why I had brought him the printout about coolant problems.
>
>Oh, and for good measure, as we walked out the door he told us we have a
>coolant leak. Gee thanks.
>
>I think it's time to visit the semi-local VW bus guru if I can find a way
>to drive the 40 miles without breaking down completely.
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>Bruce
>--Who is afraid to take the "Should You Own A Vanagon" test because he's
>pretty sure what the answer would be and he's not ready to turn over the
>keys.
>
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