Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 21:34:42 -0700
Reply-To: A & C Grobey <alien1@JPS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: A & C Grobey <alien1@JPS.NET>
Subject: Re: new (well, kinda) to the list with a newly-aquired '90 westy
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Welcome back Ian. Sounds like you got a great deal on your Westy. As far
as flushing goes I did it for the first time recently and it went very well.
Below is the advice I got from fellow list member Coby Smolens. Thank him
if you get the chance. It was very helpful to me. Happy Flushing and
Congrats on the new Westy!
Alan
Sherwood, OR
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Webb <ianwebb@RBNET.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, June 28, 1999 5:57 PM
Subject: new (well, kinda) to the list with a newly-aquired '90 westy
>I just wanted to introduce myself to the list. My name is Ian Webb and
>I live in Roanoke, Virginia. I just arrived home today with a nice (new
>to me) 90 Westy. I guess I'm not really that new to the list...I've
>just been gone for 2 years. I hung around on this thing for at least 2
>years while I played with a '79, an '89 and a '90 (mostly just getting
>good advice from those of you who know what you're talking about). I
>thought I had it out of my system, but I got to missing them, so I
>started looking and got very lucky last Sunday night when a guy from
>Columbus, OH posted his camper on the net (for a nice sum of $9000!!!).
>I was the 2nd person to contact him and somehow got lucky enought to
>drive it home today. Its white with an awning and 10 disc cd changer, a
>bunch of speakers and a big 'ole amp (sounds good). Also came with the
>alloys, PW, PL, PM, cruise, 127,000 miles, etc.
>
>In terms of work that needs to be done (that I know of so far)...I need
>a Bentley manual. Anyone know where to get one cheap??? It needs a
>good wash and wax. I also need to give it a tune up, flush & fill the
>coolant, and change the oil. I think I'll do the tune up and oil change
>myself, but I'm a little scared of the flush and fill unless someone can
>give me some REAL good advice on how to do it myself. The AC isn't
>blowing cold air right now, and it may just be a recharge is in order.
>However, it sounds as though the clutch is always engaged or the pulley
>is spinning or something, cause the engine is making a noise coming from
>the pulleys that I haven't ID'd yet (more on this later, I'm sure). The
>interior is in real good shape, but I need a new sunroof (can anyone
>help me out with where to find that?) and some advice about some small
>rust around a few of the seams. Oh yeah, I can't find notation in the
>records about ever replacing the O2 sensor. What is the collective
>wisdom of the group? Time to change? Do the splice job (and if so,
>how?)?
>
>I'm sure I'll have some real specific questions for the group as I start
>to tackle some of these projects, but I sure do appreciate any advice
>y'all can throw my way in the meantime!
>
>I have to say it felt really good to be driving one again (even if it is
>a little slow thru the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia!).
>Thanks, and its good to be back...
>
>Ian
>
>
>p.s. In upcoming posts, I'll need to redo my rear brakes, find and
>install new exhaust system, lube EVERYTHING and maybe take a good look
>at the suspension...something sounds a little loose in my back end...
>--
>
>Ian Webb
>ianwebb@rbnet.com
>
Drain and Flush Procedure
-- Set up containers to catch coolant below the engine and the radiator.
Remove cap from the main reservoir (left rear of engine compartment - not
the overflow reservoir behind the license plate). Open (turn on full) both
front and rear heater valves (rear heater valve is accessed through an
opening in passenger side of the heater cover box under the rear seat. Pull
the valve forward to open. With some models (Westy's mainly) you can get the
cover off the heater fairly easily, so you can open the bleeder on top of
the heater control valve to drain the heater core. See note on this in my
bleeding procedure.
-- If you're doing the job on the ground (not on a lift) raise the rear end
with a floor jack high enough to allow you to wiggle around comfortably
underneath. (Unless of course you're thin enough to do so without lifting
the car - I know some people who do it this way.) USE JACK STANDS! A good
alternative is to drive the car onto a set of ramps (available at most parts
stores for c.$35.00 US) Remove both lower engine shrouds (the ones that
cover the push rod tubes) and remove the 6mm Allen headed plugs from the
bottom of each cylinder head. Lower the van to the ground for proper
draining (this is why I like ramps if I have to do this out of the shop -
you'll have to raise the thing again later to reinstall the drain plugs and
shrouds. With ramps you just drive off and back on again. People get lazy
about using jack stands).
-- While the coolant is finishing draining at the back, go to the front and
raise it off the ground. (If you have the resources, you can raise the whole
car in the air (front and rear) enough so that when you're finished draining
coolant and reinstall head plugs and shrouds in prep for filling you can
lower the rear and just leave the front up, as it's going to have to be
raised 16" for bleeding anyway).
-- Remove one end of each radiator hose. It doesn't matter which end - I
find it's easier to remove the rear end of each hose because I find access
easier. Be sure to be prepared for a gush of coolant - there's going to be
plenty left in the front even if the rear is only dripping.
-- THIS PART IS NOT TO BE FOUND IN ANY BOOK: We like to put a five gallon
bucket under one of the radiator hoses and use a garden hose blast clean
water through the opposite hose until it comes clean from the other hose.
Seal around the garden hose with a rag. Then do the same through one of the
big plastic coolant pipes until clear water comes out the other pipe. Allow
the system to drip out.
-- CHEMICAL FLUSH? We don't use any. Too nervous about the long term effect
of residual caustics left in the system - a system prone to corrosion as it
is. We prefer a regular regimen of coolant changes, using the OE coolant.
-- Put everything back together. Be careful not to overtighten the clamps on
the hoses on the plastic pipes. This is a good opportunity to inspect the
ends of those pipes, by the way. There is a steel insert in the end of each
pipe which tends to rust and swell until the plastic cracks. The end of the
pipe will pop right off with the hose attached to it, causing instant and
total coolant loss in the middle of wherever you happen to be at the moment.
Use new copper seals for the cylinder head drain plugs. Then it's time to
find your bleedin' friend for the rest of the bleedin' job.
Fill & Bleed Procedure:
-- Open both front and rear heater valves fully (Rear heater valve is under
rear bench seat accessible through an opening in the passenger side of its
cover box. Pull the valve lever forward to open.)
-- Remove radiator grill (The five slot-headed things in the grill release
when turned 90 degrees)
-- Raise van at front about 16" with a floorjack.
-- Put a big flat drip tray under passenger side of radiator, loosen the
13mm bleeder screw on top passenger side of radiator - DON'T remove it. It's
a bitch to get back in while hot coolant is trying its best to get out. Put
another drip tray at the rear under the main reservoir.
-- Fill the engine with 50/50 mix of VW Autobahn coolant (ZVW 237 102) and
water.
-- Open bleeder valve on the "h"-piece bleeder thingy at the front of the
engine compartment (front is front, remember), or on the little in-line
bleeder assembly ahead of number three cylinder (LF of engine) if yours is
an '83.
-- Start engine.
-- Have a steady-footed friend* hold the engine at 2000 rpm from now 'til
you say otherwise. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR WELL-BEING WHILE YOU ARE
FILLING THE SYSTEM. The speed of the engine is what forces the coolant to
the front of the van. If it suddenly slows down during this process it WILL
do a damn fine impersonation of a volcano at the fill opening of the main
reservoir.
-- Keep adding coolant until the reservoir is full and clear coolant flows
from the radiator bleeder. (In a system with no cylinder head problems, and
a good water pump and thermostat, filling the system shouldn't take longer
than five minutes or so past the point when the engine reaches full
operating temperature as displayed on your temp gauge, and it can take
less.)
-- When the system seems full and you can feel warm coolant circulating
through the top of the radiator, close the bleeder valve on the radiator and
in the engine compartment, install the cap on the main reservoir and shut
down the engine for half a minute or so. You can say "Otherwise!", to your
friend who's been faithfully white knuckling the wheel and the gas pedal all
this time in terror of letting the engine speed drop lest you be inundated
in 200 degree ZVW. This respite allows any remaining air bubbles to puddle
up in places from which they can be flushed in the next step, and your
friend to prepare for the final stage of the process.)
-- Restart the engine and run at 2000rpm., remove cap from main reservoir,
open bleeder valves.
-- When clear bubble-free fluid flows from radiator, close bleeders, top-up
main reservoir, install cap, tell your friend to relax, shut off engine. Top
up overflow reservoir. Provide your loyal friend with whatever beverage you
promised beforehand, and Bob's your uncle!
NOTE: In spite of the most careful bleeding it is still possible to have
some air trapped in the system. It can eventually displace coolant in the
reservoir. If the level warning light comes on within days, even a couple
weeks of bleeding the system, don't panic. Check the level in both
reservoirs, top up as needed and road test. If all is intrinsically well
with your cooling system you won't do this more than once or maybe twice.
ANOTHER NOTE: There is a bleeder on the rear heater which one can open
during the bleeding process to let any air out of the rear heater, but this
necessitates removal of the cover over the heater which is more or less of a
pain in the ass depending on the rear seat configuration.
* MY "friend" is a special tool which resembles a caulking gun with a four
foot long plunger rod and a hook that slips over the steering wheel. I can
slide the plunger down onto the gas pedal and squeeze the "trigger" of the
gun thus setting the pedal exactly where I want it. Works for checking brake
lights, too. I think they're available in some parts stores, I got mine from
Mac Tools.
Coby
Valley Wagonworks
"Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959"
Volkswagen Bus, Vanagon, Westfalia and Eurovan
Repair and Service Specialists
1535 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo, CA 94933
Voice:(415) 457-5628
Fax: (415) 457-0967
http://wagonworks.com
mailto:contact@wagonworks.com
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