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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50353
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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I am guessing this was the OP scenario
-The water pump was leaking and he failed to find the leak
-To make up for this he filled the pressure and overflow tanks to the max.
-Once the engine got hot and expanded the fluid was forced out of the pressure tank into the overflow tank and thus the overflow tank puked out through its vent hole.
Whether or not this is the correct scenario he still needs to watch his system carefully for a while. |
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xclemjustinx Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2016 Posts: 198
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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Wildthings 100% correct. When I did the pressure test myself I did not find any leaks in the coolants hoses or head gasket. I did fill the expansion tank to the top and the overflow tank between min and max. I did do a bleed (I am new to the system so maybe I didn't do it correctly. I am still learning). I began to drive and once it was warmed up I pulled over and could smell coolant int he engine bay but could not find a leak. I took it in and they saw a leak at the water pump peep hole that was allowing the coolant to spill onto the engine, which caused the smell. Air was in the system ( I assume from me not doing the bleed correctly or managing it). I did buy a new expansion coolant cap and a new water pump. I will install it tomorrow and report back. Again I cannot thank you guys enough. I am learning so much and you guys have been a wealth of knowledge. |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32634 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50353
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2016 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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It is not always the caps that fails either, five minutes before the cap popped off everything seemed to be just fine with the cooling system:
Note that the threads have pulled letting the cap pop off
Don't know if this happened before or after the cap popped off.
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0cean Samba Member
Joined: February 29, 2012 Posts: 1149 Location: California
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32634 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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T3 Pilot Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 1507 Location: Deep South of the Great White North
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xclemjustinx Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2016 Posts: 198
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Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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New water pump was installed today. I bled the system once and drove it around for half and hour. I didn't see any leaks. Is there anything I should look out for, or do more bleed's throughout the next couple of days? Thanks guys. |
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?Waldo? Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
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Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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Andrew A. Libby wrote: |
Wait for the engine to cool completely (overnight). Before starting it up make sure pressure tank is completely full and overflow is between Min and Max. Start it up and run it until it is warmed up. Stop somewhere so the passenger side is higher than the driver's side. Remove the upper grill and loosen the bleeder and let any air hiss out. If coolant comes out, close it back up. If air keeps hissing out until there is no more pressure, drive it a bit more and repeat. |
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xclemjustinx Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2016 Posts: 198
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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So I took the van for a spin today. Before I left I topped off the expansion tank and made sure the overflow tank was between min and max. I drove it around and let it warm up and then parked it on a hill where the passenger side was higher than the drive side. I began to open the bleed valve and let al the air coming hissing out until i saw coolant. I did this for about an hour. Stopping randomly and opening the bleeder valve. I drove it home and noticed the overflow tank is completely full and the expansion tank is not less than half full. This is what I started out with before I changed the bad water pump and the van was overheating. From my knowledge of reading on this site and talking to other people, it seems that the head gasket is bad. Can any of you confirm of this or have your heard of a similar scenario? Thanks guys. |
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?Waldo? Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:15 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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That is the most likely culprit. |
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atomatom Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012 Posts: 1867 Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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there is one other possibility. if the hose connecting the overflow tank (behind licence plate) and the blue cap/pressurised tank are (a) loose fitting or (b) full of cracks/holes, then the system will suck air in instead of coolant from the overflow tank.
you can replace with a bit of fuel line and some hose clamps (although new fuel line will probably make an air-tight seal). _________________ 84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:22 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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Does sound that way (sorry to say). There is a test - possibly mentioned earlier in this thread - that may be able to detect the presence of combustion products in the 'air' in the pressure tank.
This can be done professionally or with a kit available from an auto parts store or possibly even with a home-brew concoction made from red cabbage.
I have not had to pursue a diagnose using any of those methods though it seems to be a common enough thing. |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:28 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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I always wind up making this suggestion at times like this.
Why not take your cooling system pressure tester, get it on the expansion tank and pump it up?
Watch if the gauge holds pressure, & if not , where's it loosing it at?
Boy, was that simple. _________________ T.K. |
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?Waldo? Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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T.K. there have been a couple different times on this forum where I have seen you suggest that as a diagnostic test for this specific symptom. The individual then performed the pressure test and the engine did not show any leakage of coolant and cooling system pressure held constant. Despite the test not showing any leakage it was later determined that the engine *was* allowing combustion gases into the coolant.
The reason pressure testing is not conclusive is that you are applying 14-15 psi to see if any coolant leaks into the cylinder. When the engine is running, though, the compression pressure is a upwards of 200 psi and when the fuel burns, the peak cylinder pressure skyrockets to over 1,000psi. Testing with 14-15 psi is a bit of a joke. Obviously if it doesn't leak at 15 psi, that doesn't mean it won't leak at 1,200 psi. If you get leakage into the cylinder at 15 psi, then it is positive confirmation that the 'head gasket' has failed, but if you do not get a leak, it is not proof that the seal is good.
If instead, you had a paint ball compressor and could shoot 1,500 psi into a cylinder with the valves closed and the engine hot, it would be a valid test.
atomatom wrote: |
there is one other possibility. if the hose connecting the overflow tank (behind licence plate) and the blue cap/pressurised tank are (a) loose fitting or (b) full of cracks/holes, then the system will suck air in instead of coolant from the overflow tank.
you can replace with a bit of fuel line and some hose clamps (although new fuel line will probably make an air-tight seal). |
A leaky hose from pressure tank to burp tank will not overfill the burp tank. |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:31 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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If it is a bad compression seal, I will agree that this could very well be a possibility.
A compression test, leak down test might be fruitful here.
I take most descriptions of problems here with a grain of salt.
How many times have you seen frantic calls for a solution to what turns out to be absolutely nothing imperative ?
Tough call on this problem. _________________ T.K.
Last edited by Terry Kay on Mon Aug 29, 2016 2:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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atomatom Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012 Posts: 1867 Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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Andrew A. Libby wrote: |
A leaky hose from pressure tank to burp tank will not overfill the burp tank. |
a hose that isn't airtight seal can let fluid run down into the burp tank but won't suck it back because it is uphill. anyway, that is just my theory. plus that hose, and the plastic tanks, get cooked from being above the muffler. _________________ 84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada. |
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xclemjustinx Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2016 Posts: 198
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: Coolant overflow reservoir has 3 holes on top. What are those? |
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I thank you guys for all of your suggestions. I am new to the van world but not new to mechanics and the car world. I have done the pressure test and saw no leaks. From all of the research I have read on this forum and talking to fellow van owners in person, they and I have come to a conclusion that the gasket is the culprit in this issues. Am I 100% certain? No, but at least I am headed in the right direction. I have already made my decision and I'm going to purchase a new engine. Some of you might agree or disagree with me, but this is going to be my daily driver and I am ready to re-do the entire van and I would like to use my money wisely and take care of the englne first. I was thinking of doing the go westy 2300 engine. I am going to do more research and go from there. |
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