Date:         Mon, 16 Nov 1998 19:39:57 -0500
Reply-To:     jhlauterbach <jhlauterbach@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         jhlauterbach <jhlauterbach@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject:      REPAIR SAFETY - COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR (LONG)
Comments: To: Vanagon <vanagon@vanagon.com>

I want to relate an experience with my '84 DL that I had Saturday evening.
I had the van in my garage and it had been idling about 15 minutes or so as
I was checking the throttle microswitch setting.  I had put the engine cover
back on and had put away most of my tools when I heard a pop and hot coolant
came streaming down from the van.  I made a run for the ignition switch and
turned the engine off.  When the steam cleared, I opened up the engine
compartment expecting the worst.  What I found was quite surprising.  The
coolant level sensor had blown out of the expansion tank.  I had had my
mechanic replace the tank, the pressure cap, and the sensor about two months
ago.  When I inspected the sensor, the second thread from the top was flat
on both sides, and the third thread was deformed.  I installed the original
sensor, replaced the lost coolant, and installed the old pressure cap.  Van
tested out okay.  Test drove yesterday for about ten miles and took it to
work today.  No problems.

I always wear my safety glasses while working in the garage.  However, if I
had been working on the van when the sensor popped out, I don't think
anything but a pair of goggles and face shield would have helped much.  I
have worked in chemical labs for over 30 years, but never had something go
up the way the coolant did.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA