Date:         Mon, 13 Jul 1998 21:25:43 -0400
Reply-To:     Stephen Davis <sdavis@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Davis <sdavis@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Subject:      cooling system problem (long)
Comments: To: vanagon list <vanagon@vanagon.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hey Volks
        I need some help on diagnosing a problem with my cooling system.  The cooling system has been working
great since I took the van out of storage in April.  I changed the coolant (I just bought it in Oct. of 97, it
is an 85 westie auto) with little trouble but the needle sits steady on the low side of the LED all the time,
other than sitting still at a light for five min.  I have a slow leak somewhere because I have had to add
coolant twice in the last 3000 to 5000 mi.  That means filling it from the min mark on the overflow tank to
the max mark.  The other day I was driving home from work and I stopped to fill the gas tank (cold van, 4 mi
drive at 45mph), when I checked the oil, I noticed that the coolant in the overflow tank was half way over the
filler neck.  Seemed strange but the temp needle had not even reached the led yet so I drove home(5 mi at
45mph).  When I arrived home I checked the coolant level right away and it was a little higher.  While I
watched (the van was turned off) the coolant continued to fill the overflow tank and run out the three holes
at the top.  As luck would have it I was about to leave for a three hour trip with an airplane to catch at the
end so I parked the van and jumped in my truck for the drive to the airport.  Before I left I did a quick air
pump bleed of the system and found some(3 seconds then clear coolant)air at the radiator bleed screw.  I ran
the van until the radiator fan came on and it seemed to be ok.  When I got home I did a better bleed job up on
ramps and took the van for a drive.  On the drive I checked the bleed on the radiator twice and got a small
fizzle of air each time.  The coolant level stayed constant for the whole drive(10 mi after the rad. fan had
run at the end of the bleeding).
        What could have caused the coolant to overflow while the temp gauge still read "normal"?  How is air
getting in the system if coolant is not coming out?  By the way, the exhaust pipe is dry as a bone and the van
never emits any steam unless it is below 30 deg.  Also, I have looked for leaks on the heads and they seem ok.
  Any ideas?


Thanks in advance for your time and replies,

Stephen Davis
85 Westie