Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 13:37:20 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Overheated Westy '87
In-Reply-To: <FA0497E0-4902-4965-A669-11A602961EF6@newclear.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I haven't ever done that yet myself, but it sure sounds like a great idea to
me.
Any leak will show up as lower than normal pressure,
And overheating ( without a leak that is ) will show up as higher than
normal pressure.
I like it.
Here's a fun cooling system story -
Not vanagon....but I was TOWING a vanagon ...so that counts, sort of.
My 1970 six cylinder gas Mercedes tow car, Ursula.
Long California hill climb, towing as I said, on a hot day.
The temp gauge just kept going up and up and up and up.
I was pretty sure it wasn't leaking, just that the cooling capacity of the
system was being exceeded. About a 7 mile climb.
With about a half mile to go she started losing power, and the temp gauge
was right up to max, close to 250 degrees F. Finally she just flamed out
and I had to pull over.
Vapor lock. The fuel was so hot, it wasn't in liquid state anymore near the
engine.
The temp gauge was fully maxed out, jammed at the top of the scale, and the
engine wouldn't run.
I fully expected a hose to burst, or the head gasket to let go. ( and do
watch out for standing near very hot hoses on an engine, I have seen a hose
just burst and spew scalding hot coolant all over, so be careful )
Got things cooled down, fuel being pumped again, and got going.
No damage at all to the cooling system or engine. The block and pistons
have about 250K on them I reckon.
Right at the end of the journey the fuel pump started leaking out the
bottom - diaphragm had a hole in it ......but I towed in a fine vanagon
diesel parts van....and didn't hurt my ole "Ursula' other than the fuel pump
thing, and I don't think that was related to the getting so hot.
Now that is a tough cooling system, and some of those parts are 37 years
old.
And they are not plastic either - lol !
Scott
www.turbovans.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Kai Mei [mailto:kai@newclear.us]
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 1:18 PM
To: Scott Daniel - Shazam
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Overheated Westy '87
Perhaps now is a good time review installing a coolant system
pressure gauge that was fashionable on the list a few years back?
On Dec 3, 2007, at 3:35 PM, Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
> Right, those rear heater t-fittings do get brittle. You can still
> get them
> new I believe.
> I thought I made it medium clear in my long answer that ......
> Well, spend 800 on hoses, but that in no way insures that you've
> replaced
> all the parts that are likely to be an issue at some future point.
> AND ...the hoses aren't even the weakest area !!
> What I'm saying is, if money was no object...i.e. "I don't' care
> what it
> costs, I just want to know that every cooling system part that
> could have
> had its life shortened or could fail in the future - I want all those
> replaced." .....
>>
>
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