Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 22:22:05 -0700
Reply-To: Coby Smolens <cobys@WELL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Coby Smolens <cobys@WELL.COM>
Subject: Re: heater leak?
In-Reply-To: <199906300924.FAA29811@elwood.cais.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Rightio! You're quite correct. There is no need to allow coolant to flow
through those hoses. I must apologize for having gotten topic-twisted... I
was just in another conversation about LEAKING rear heater cores, in which
case blocking just one side would not stop a leak. Plugs (with the hose
clamps, of course) would be acceptable, if they were handy and adequate to
the task - I just happened to come across a particularly eager piece of pipe
before I found TWO such plugs once, and so have used this as a tactic once
or twice since when dealing with particularly thrifty individuals (I did not
say "cheapskates", OK? I myself have known hard times)...
This does not, let it be said, fulfill MY sense of correctness... I would
still go for the full repair, even if I were not a repair person. I think.
'Course it's been so long since I wasn't a repair person that I could be
mistaken about that. Feel free to ignore that last statement.
Some other points: The control valve, when new, does not let any appreciable
amount of coolant to flow through it when closed - I've checked. The heater
control valve pulls forward to open. The switch on the dash is the fan
switch and serves no other function. The rear control valve is readily
available as a separate piece, somewhat expensive ($35.00). Sometimes they
crack, they can also leak at the lever shaft. There are also a bleeder plug
and o-ring, and an o-ring between the control valve and core body, all of
which can leak. Check 'em all, and replace the lot (the small parts are
cheap, even from the dealer) if you're replacing the core. The bleeder valve
is known for breaking off in it's hole. Don't panic - they have always
yielded to my pick tool for removal.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Howard Fleming
> Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 7:42 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: heater leak?
>
>
> Why would you need a shunt to bypass the heater core? Just
> plugging the lines to the heater core should do the trick, since when
> the valve for the heater is closed it does the same thing (or am I
> missing something here.... ? :).
> Howard
>
>
> On 29 Jun 99, at 11:01, Coby Smolens wrote:
>
> > One c-clamp won't do the trick. a piece of 1/2" EMT (electrical conduit)
> > bent in a U will. Connect both hose ends to the U shaped piece. You're
> > just creating a shunt which bypasses the heater. Otherwise you can pinch
> > off BOTH hoses (in a pinch), but I wouldn't do that for any extended
> > period...
>
>
> hfleming@moosebird.com
> Alexandria, VA
> 97 Jetta GL 97 Cabrio
> 85 Vanagon 84 Westy
> 84 Vanagon GL (spare parts that turned into a project)
> 1945 Cletrac model AG
> Benjamin Fleming (new kid that is a project....)
> Alexandria VA
>
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