Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 22:42:32 -0500
Reply-To: "Philip R. Hanlon" <prhanlon@DIBBS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Philip R. Hanlon" <prhanlon@DIBBS.NET>
Subject: Re: Drain/fill coolant loop w/o burping
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Dear Jorge,
Expose engine, find platic pressure tank. This has a pressure cap with a
small line running to the overflow talk, the one you fill through the
license plate opening. It also has a larger (short) hose entering high,
from the coolant loop that runs around (just under) the lip of the engine
compartment. Last, the largest hose from the plastic tank leaves low and
runs to the "water" pump.
On a cold engine, take the pressure cap off. Check coolant with
hygrometer, if desired. Loose hose clamp and remove upper hose from plastic
tank. Coolant will escape by gravity. Loose the clamp from the other end of
this hose temporarily, so that you can direct it to a reservoir of your
choice. I simply pushed a 3/4" PVC pipe through the license plate opening
and directed the hose into it. You could put it into a slightly larger
hose, if you had one.
Then, fire her up. Coolant will slowly run out of the PVC pipe (or other
hose) into the external reservoir. I used 5 gallon plastic trash bins. Just
keep adding water. If you add too much, too quickly, it will just run out
of the top connection, where the hose that you're porting to the reservoir,
used to connect. Once the thermostat opens, the effluent will get pretty
hot. My PVC pipe warped noticeably, but did fine.
Using a hose, with tap water, makes rinsing out all of the old coolant
easier. During the summer, the tap water should be warm enough. Really cold
water wouldn't be good for a warm engine block. After about 10-12 gallons
of wash, I stopped. The first 5 gallons were pretty blue, the second much
lighter, and the last trash bin had just blue tinged water.
The next day, I ran 4 or 5 gallons of filtered water through the system
before adding my 4 gallons of 50/50 premix.
If you manually push the throttle, coolant will run out quicker. Make sure
you add it quicker. As long as you don't let the tank run too low and suck
air, no "burping" should be needed. I checked my front radiator, with van
elevated, after I finished everything. No air escaped from the vent screw,
just pure coolant.
Calibrate your hygrometer with 50/50 mix and use that reading to estimate
how much you are below your desired 50/50 mix once you're finished.
Philip
91 Carat
Mobile, AL
----------
> From: DELGADOAJJ@aol.com
> To: prhanlon@DIBBS.NET; vanagon@vanagon.com
> Subject: Re: Drain/fill coolant loop w/o burping
> Date: Sunday, June 14, 1998 12:08 AM
>
> Would you mind explaining exactly how to do this? I'm interested in
doing
> this in lieu of the traditional method.
>
> Jorge.
> 90 Vanagon Multivan
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