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85 vanagon boiling over
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geo_tonz
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You need to pay attention to the evidence and start with the basics.
No fluid coming out of the rad equals low coolant, air in the system. Either it was never bled properly to start after a po repair, or it's a limited number of things. Start cheap and easy and work from there

1. PROPERLY bleed and fill the system. Did the problem go away?
2.replace the pressure cap and PROPERLY bleed and fill the system. Did the problem go away?
3. Remove/test/replace the thermostat. PROPERLY bleed and fill. Did the problem go away?
4. Replace engine with Vanistan. PROPERLY bleed and fill. Problem gone.
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IdahoDoug
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wait - where do you have an "air hole"?
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ammoturtle
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:15 am    Post subject: 85 vanagon boiling over Reply with quote

The Air hole is on top of the reservoir it is a small flute like molded on top with 3 air holes in it. Also I may be wrong if it was my head gasket wouldn't there be water in my oil? Because my oil is clean. Now for the bleeding I've tried bleeding it the way I read it on this site still I can't get a flow out of the radiator bleed valve. I'll try it again after I get off work in the morning. It sucks working on my van in the winter outside. I'm hoping to have my garage up in the summer. It is a different animal working on vw's than early american cars. But I like vw's better.I'm really learning more about engines here than previous. I'm used to just take engine problems to a garage. Now money forces me to do my own engine work.
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t3 kopf
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:26 am    Post subject: Re: 85 vanagon boiling over Reply with quote

ammoturtle wrote:
The Air hole is on top of the reservoir it is a small flute like molded on top with 3 air holes in it.


ummm.....what? pictures? is your coolant level sensor installed?
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morymob
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Remove rad bleed & make sure it's not a standard bolt, u could at this point rev eng & see if anything comes, should be a lot. U r setting idle about 3k when u r bleeding???
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ammoturtle
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:08 am    Post subject: 85 vanagon boiling over Reply with quote

I'm still at work. When I get home I'll take pix of what I'm talking about. As far as the idle speed i t is set at 1100 rpm.
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ammoturtle
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:12 am    Post subject: 85 vanagon boiling over Reply with quote

Yes the bleed on the rad is a standard bolt. I am ordering a regular bleeder valve and coolant sys test equipment. I thought a regular bolt was cheesy that's why i'm ordering several. I'm going to change my plastic fittings with aluminum ones. These are factory ones and are stuck.
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think he is talking about the hole on top of the overflow reservoir behind the license plate.

ammoturtle, I would recommend using a Libby Bong or similar to bleed the system. It makes it easy to put head on the radiator and get the air out.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2...p;start=80

Start on page 5...
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atomatom
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i built a bong, but i had more fun with them in my youth than with my vanagon. i don't use it anymore and filled my van without it. too much hype on coolant filling on this board.

the fact that your hoses in the engine area are cold after the van warms up indicates that you have a stuck thermostat. all this talk of cooling bleeding stuff is moot.

the one thing you could/should buy is an IR thermometer. is the coolant actually at or near boiling temperature. if it is above 90oC/190oF then your thermostat should open. if it does not open, then you need to fix that before anything else.

if the coolant is less than 90oC the thermostat won't open and you probably have compression gasses coming in the van. you will not see coolant in the oil, because the leak goes into the top of the cylinder, where the boom happens and is blown out the pipe. you may see some evidence of steam cleaning on the spark plugs, but i don't know for sure if you can tell.

i know this because my van had a compression leak. it was intermittent as well, unlike yours, and would only happen under load (at the start). your symptoms so far could be either boiling because of the stuck thermostat, or gas blowing in. the lack of hot hoses indicates thermostat.
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morymob
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Except 4 a cyl disaster comp leask start slowly and under load, best test is get on a long pull & if temp starts climbing but stays close to norm on fairly level ground. 3 of 5 owned had some level of comp leak this always showed it up. Thst was mentioned earlier as 1st choice.
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ammoturtle
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:32 pm    Post subject: 85 vanagon boiling over Reply with quote

I found that the bleeder above the engine is cracked and also I do see some light steam coming from around where the plugs are. I'm trying to post a pix of the air vent behind the plate

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Ahwahnee
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 4:52 pm    Post subject: Re: 85 vanagon boiling over Reply with quote

ammoturtle wrote:
I found that the bleeder above the engine is cracked...]


Mine broke at the nipple that connects to the small hose - was able to repair it with a bit of tubing and epoxy and it was fine for years - though a couple of years back I finally replaced it with the all-metal version available from the usuals.
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