TheSamba.com :: View topic - Need help with coolant leak....84 vanogen

Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:00 pm

My engine is over heating and was told can try to tighten the heads. If that doesn't work will have to replace heads and gaskets, which from what I've seen is a common prob on 1.9 I went to start my van today and found a leak from what seems to be a machined hole above the oil filter and behind the flywheel. The engine was still cold.New rad installed and is all good there.
Any help would be appreciated
Joey

Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:40 pm

i think this is a factory drian hole for the antifreeze you need to buy a new drain hole plug

Wed Apr 18, 2012 5:57 am

Poor guy, first question no reply. Where The Samba spirit.

Calm down ans take a picture. Better, a video. The location you mention is not very precise, and if it is there is no coolant in this location.

Before you assume that you need a head job you must eliminate a bunch of other stuff.

Ben

Wed Apr 18, 2012 5:59 am

I think he is talking about the waterpump weep hole. He said flywheel but of course it is a pulley instead.

Mark

ftp2leta wrote: Poor guy, first question no reply. Where The Samba spirit.

Calm down ans take a picture. Better, a video. The location you mention is not very precise, and if it is there is no coolant in this location.

Before you assume that you need a head job you must eliminate a bunch of other stuff.

Ben

Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:16 am

The coolant leak is probably from the little hole on the water pump. If so, could mean the water pump is going bad.

What are your overheating symptoms? Is the temperature gauge on the dashboard going too high? Tightening down the head studs won't be likely to help an overheating problem. Describe some symptoms. You might need a new cap on the pressurized coolant bottle (the one in the engine compartment, not the one behind the license plate.)

Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:32 am

Exactly, tell us more of what is happening. Since he has an 84 he has the early version of the coolant level warning relay that PEGS the NEEDLE to HOT when the coolant level drops in the main tank, in addition to blinking the led. In 85 a new relay was implemented that just blinked the warning led.

Mark

funagon wrote: .....
What are your overheating symptoms? Is the temperature gauge on the dashboard going too high? Tightening down the head studs won't be likely to help an overheating problem. Describe some symptoms. ....

Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:28 pm

Thanks for your quick responses. This is my first Westy as you can prob tell, but I love it and will do everything I can to make her run right.
First I think Mark is right, the leak is coming from the waterpump seep hole.
I boughtmy van three weeks ago and it came with An after market temp gauge and the actual one wasn't working. It started heating up waiting at intersections etc and would cool down once I started goin again.
Took it to a mechanic to get it checked out and he said it just needed water and I got him to fix the gauge as well. 250kms later its heating up rapidly with light flashing and gauge well to the right. I took a look at the engine the first time and the overflow tank was full and the main tank really low.

And here I am

Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:17 pm

is your radiator fan turns itself ON when the van overheated? - slow or high speed?

Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:34 pm

In the main pressure tank there is a device that detects when the coolant level has dropped too low. This device feeds a relay that connects to the temp gauge and the temp gauge led. In your 84 year the relay for this device puts a constant fake HOT signal to the dash to trigger the TOO HOT LED to start blinking to warn you that something is wrong so you can stop and check things out in the engine compartment before it is too late. This fake hot signal also makes the temp needle quickly rise to the hottest reading, enough to scare you into doing something. The true engine temp can't rise that quickly as there is a lot of metal and hopefully still some coolant that has to get hot. I think you have discovered why the original gauge was not hooked up when you got the van. The sudden fake hot signal probably drove the previous owners crazy.

My advice to you is to replace your early version of the coolant level warning relay with the later version. The later version sends a pulsing TOO HOT signal to the dash, enough to make the led start blinking but not constant enough to move the temp needle much higher. This lets you see if and when the engine is truly getting too hot since the temp sensor is still running the gauge needle.

Mark

Veebster wrote: Thanks for your quick responses. This is my first Westy as you can prob tell, but I love it and will do everything I can to make her run right.
First I think Mark is right, the leak is coming from the waterpump seep hole.
I boughtmy van three weeks ago and it came with An after market temp gauge and the actual one wasn't working. It started heating up waiting at intersections etc and would cool down once I started goin again.
Took it to a mechanic to get it checked out and he said it just needed water and I got him to fix the gauge as well. 250kms later its heating up rapidly with light flashing and gauge well to the right. I took a look at the engine the first time and the overflow tank was full and the main tank really low.

And here I am

Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:54 pm

first thing to check is the rad if it has air in it

you will over heat regardless of the fan.

weap hole at top of rad.

if you do have a leak that is the first place the air will go.

al

Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:00 pm

dont run this thing with the overheating prob

she will destroy herself pronto.

i lost three engines with the same problem.

if you perge the rad and she still

overheats the engine is eating water,prob from the heads.

al

Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:24 pm

Thanks Mark, this is something I should be able to do myself? Any thought on the seeping water pump hole?

Joey

Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:06 pm

The relay is something you can unplug and replace yourself once you get one. Lots of VW cars used the newer type. I see them at the junkyards often. The latest has a large number 42 stamped on the end that faces you. The old types had a number 43. There is an in between one that works like a 42 but says 43. If you get a 42 then you can be easily certain it is the later kind. Here is an example of a used one for sale.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RELAY-42-AUDI-VW-VOLKSWAGE...20b10b8bf5

These below are 43 types. The slighter longer one that has a long part number starting with 251 is the oldest kind like you already have. The later types have a long number that starts with 191.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=vw+relay+43&am...m270.l1313

The seeping waterpump hole means the seal on the pump is leaking. It may be leaking because the bearing is going bad or because the seal is bad, or both. Either way it means replacing the pump. If it drips parked cold and not running then it is time. Otherwise you would need to see how major of a leak it is to know if driving it at all is a bad idea. I would be careful.

Mark

Veebster wrote: Thanks Mark, this is something I should be able to do myself? Any thought on the seeping water pump hole?

Joey

Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:39 pm

When you think it's hot... drop some water on the head. Is it boiling?

Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:52 pm

Veebster wrote: I took a look at the engine the first time and the overflow tank was full and the main tank really low.

That's what happens when the cap on the main coolant tank stops holding pressure, which leads to a hot engine as well. Buy a new cap for the main tank.

Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:37 pm

Will replace water pump and put on new cap and sensor..... Will keep you posted. Should I put the after market temp gauge back on?

Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:12 pm

Can anyone tell me where the coolant level warning relay is located?

Thanks

Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:20 pm

Right on top of the coolant resivor

Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:20 pm

it's in the pressure tank-2 wires connected to black thingy screwed into the top

Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:28 pm

Want to change it , but mine looks nothing like the ones shown in link by Mark...... Got the sensor and the relay mixed up. Mark was spot on!