The flaw is the design of the 'top end' of the engine. VW chose to reuse the old air-cooled engine design, but added a water jacket around the cylinders. This water jacket is sealed by a rubber gasket, which will not withstand great pressure. This gasket as it ages cracks and splits, allowing corrosion to develop in the sealing area of the gasket, which eventually pushes the cracks open wider, and produces the drips and gushers the Vanagon is so noted for. Note that Vanagons with regular coolant USING the 'special' VW antifreeze STILL have the same problem. I'm not just 'blowin' off steam' , I've seen it many times, and as early as 30K miles! VW should have A) installed the inline engine (that they already had setup in the diesel version!), or B) examined a Subaru engine to see how a waterboxer SHOULD be built, in regards to the heads and cylinders. Look for the proof in South Africa, what engine are they using there, the 'boxer, or the inline 4? Seems to me like they finally figured it out, huh? Rant mode off........ Karl ----- Original Message ----- From: Woody Halsey <WoodyHalsey@compuserve.com> To: karl <thewestyman@MINDSPRING.COM> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 1999 6:55 AM Subject: Re:VW coolant myth
Dear Karl, Very interesting comment. What *is* the design flaw in the Wasserboxer? Why are so many listees so adamant about using the phosphate free coolant and distilled water? Woody |
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