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purplepeopleeater Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:02 am Post subject: Cooling system change & Flush UPDATE |
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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.
Last edited by purplepeopleeater on Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Dogpilot Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005 Posts: 4205 Location: Flagstaff, AZ
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:46 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G |
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purplepeopleeater Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Dog! |
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purplepeopleeater Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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Okay folks, so I did some reading and made a shopping list and here's what I ended up with
Here is a shot of the vac I picked up (buckethead $20 bucks)
Here is the muck I pulled out (little extra that I added from flushing the resivor too)
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.
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
Here its my bong i made to fill the system---I must say this unit is reallly really handy!
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levi Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 5522 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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Hey!
15 gallons of distilled?
You really only need 2, mixed with 2 gallons of the coolant. _________________ One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way
https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40 |
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purplepeopleeater Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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2 for mixing with the 2 of coolent, and the rest i used for flushing the system. |
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Jamos Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2005 Posts: 762 Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 12:10 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ '86 Wolfy Westy Weekender
2020 Audi Q5 |
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Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 3990 Location: Maine
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OilNBolts Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2007 Posts: 438 Location: Kentucky
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Alaric.H Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009 Posts: 2529 Location: Sandy Springs GA
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:08 am Post subject: |
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I found this at a pawn shop and I see them for sale once in awhile.
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 Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2005 Posts: 3117 Location: E. Washington
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:12 am Post subject: |
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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 Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009 Posts: 2529 Location: Sandy Springs GA
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:55 am Post subject: |
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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 Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2008 Posts: 2354 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:29 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR |
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?Waldo? Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:44 am Post subject: |
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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 Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 1173 Location: Santa Barbara
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:50 am Post subject: |
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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 Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2006 Posts: 1062 Location: Chicago, IL
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:57 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ 84 Westy 4spd sold |
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squeegee_boy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2008 Posts: 758 Location: Langley, BC, Canada
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:04 am Post subject: |
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Klucz and Alaric, what's that tool called? I want one, but my Google-fu is failing me.
Robyn _________________ 1984 FrankenSyncro Westy. EJ25 RMW kit
1971 Super Beetle with an EJ22. Oh yes. Daily driver |
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klucz Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2006 Posts: 1062 Location: Chicago, IL
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:24 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ 84 Westy 4spd sold |
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squeegee_boy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2008 Posts: 758 Location: Langley, BC, Canada
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:52 am Post subject: |
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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!
_________________ 1984 FrankenSyncro Westy. EJ25 RMW kit
1971 Super Beetle with an EJ22. Oh yes. Daily driver |
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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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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