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Cooling system change & Flush UPDATE
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purplepeopleeater
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:02 am    Post subject: Cooling system change & Flush UPDATE Reply with quote

I searched, I have a bently but I stumbled on a bong to assist in coolent refill?

I have shades of green in my system, and I want to get this out (I should have dumped it sooner, im sure ill pay the price)


I need to get this changed out before it gets warmer, VW said about $400 to do it. Shocked


Last edited by purplepeopleeater on Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Dogpilot
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Read up on the shop vac method of sucking out all the coolant. It really works well. A quick search will get you the info. There are loads of ways to re-fill the system, they all work. $400 is a bit steep for a coolant change. Must be some pretty special coolant they use to re-fill it. Me, I am happy with Sierra & distilled water.

I have a very steep driveway, so I fill with the back end on the slope and the radiator bleed open and I crack the rear heater one till I get fluid drips. Once I have it full, I drive it around the block, up and down the hills for a few minutes, then I park it with the front end up the slope. I let it idle for a minute or two. Then I put a matchbook under the throttle stop, and proceed to bleed the radiator. I repeat the nose up bleeding a few days later to get whatever may have missed its opportunity to escape and worked its way around. Andrew's bong is really good for folks that may not have any slopes available.
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purplepeopleeater
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Dog!
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purplepeopleeater
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay folks, so I did some reading and made a shopping list and here's what I ended up with
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here is a shot of the vac I picked up (buckethead $20 bucks)
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here is the muck I pulled out (little extra that I added from flushing the resivor too)
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here is something I thought up(maybe its been done...I dunno) I used some 1/4'' tubing and stuffed it down the breather hole and stuck the other end in a jug of clean distilled water, I sucked about 4 gallons through the system this way.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

don't worry, I did refill and bleed and brought it to temp and drained...The first time i did this after suckin all the water through the breather there was barely and color to the water I shopvacced out out...to prevent being flammed I repeated this again...on the 3rd time I refilled bled and brought to temp, bled then used the shopvac on it....and no noticable color.

So, I pulled another 2 gallons through the breather hole again and used the shop vac....here's me keeping it happy
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



Here its my bong i made to fill the system---I must say this unit is reallly really handy!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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levi
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey!
15 gallons of distilled?
You really only need 2, mixed with 2 gallons of the coolant.
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purplepeopleeater
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

2 for mixing with the 2 of coolent, and the rest i used for flushing the system.
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Jamos
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice work!

That shopping cart looks just like mine did a few weeks back...
except mine didn't say W*lmart & I used some Sierra instead of Prestone.

Good idea about sucking the distilled through the radiator!

Also I recommend adding some Redline water wetter to your coolant if you can find it locally.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 4:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

purplepeopleeater wrote:



Here its my bong i made to fill the system---I must say this unit is reallly really handy!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Do you have a parts list and directions on how you made your bong?

I'll be doing my coolant system hoses and pipes in a few weeks and your set-up looks really slick!
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OilNBolts
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=234192
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Alaric.H
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found this at a pawn shop and I see them for sale once in awhile.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The way it works is it pulls a vacuum on the coolant system you put the end in a bucket full of antifreeze open the valve and it sucks it out in to the coolant system 5 minute job I did not even have to bleed it.


Last edited by Alaric.H on Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:51 am; edited 2 times in total
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purplepeopleeater
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

here is what I used to make the bong,

1x 2"x30" black pipe(pre cut piece sold at homedepot)
1x 2" to 1 1/2" rubber reducer with clamps
1x 5/16" brass hose barb
10ft of 5/16" silicone hose, couldn't get any smaller quanity.

cost me $15 bucks to make it, plus it looks cool sitting in my garage.

maybe I'll carry it around in the car.
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Alaric.H
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I only have room for 1 bong at a time I wonder if you get pulled over with 2 bongs if it would be trafficking.
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

unless your local water is really dirty I wouldn't worry about using tap water to flush the system since you are sucking it out right away anyway.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

purplepeopleeater wrote:
here is what I used to make the bong,

1x 2"x30" black pipe(pre cut piece sold at homedepot)
1x 2" to 1 1/2" rubber reducer with clamps
1x 5/16" brass hose barb
10ft of 5/16" silicone hose, couldn't get any smaller quanity.

cost me $15 bucks to make it, plus it looks cool sitting in my garage.

maybe I'll carry it around in the car.


The brass barb is unnecessary. If you drill the hole with a slightly smaller diameter than the OD of the tubing, then the tubing will seal to the ABS by just pushing it through. That also lets you push enough tubing through so that the end extends below the opening and into the coolant reservoir. That lets you siphon all of the coolant out of the ABS and results in the coolant level being below the opening of the coolant reservoir. When the bong is then removed after draining, there is no spilling.
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K58
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think I was charged around $100 to flush and fill mine at a local VW/Subie shop (Mastercraft)
To me it ain't worth the hassle and mess and I have the piece of mind that if it wasn't done right I'm warranteed. You know, the burping thing...just my 02
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klucz
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The tool in Alaric.H's pic is such a great thing to have. Fast and accurate. Back when I worked at a general maintenance shop this was the boss' favorite new toy. Spilling coolant and breathing the fumes all day makes you miserable, and some vehicles would take forever to purge. I would definitely pick one up if I had a nice garage set up.

I remember flushing my 74 Bronco 302 in high school shop class. We hooked it up to pressurized water and flushed with the engine running. Took forever until the water flowed clean. About the same age then as many of our Vanagons are now. Even if I could properly dispose of the dirty water I'd probably be more cautious doing this with a Vanagon. Makes me wonder what is lurking in the depths on my Van's cooling system. Guess I should go and install the new radiator already.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Klucz and Alaric, what's that tool called? I want one, but my Google-fu is failing me.

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klucz
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

squeegee_boy - 'cooling system service, test and refill tool' should improve your fu. Can't remember the brand of the one we used but it wasn't a cheapo kit.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

klucz wrote:
squeegee_boy - 'cooling system service, test and refill tool' should improve your fu. Can't remember the brand of the one we used but it wasn't a cheapo kit.


Thank you, sensei!

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

re: "I used some 1/4'' tubing and stuffed it down the breather hole and stuck the other end in a jug of clean distilled water, I sucked about 4 gallons through the system this way."

- any closeup pics of the insertion point?

- also, would you do it that way again?
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