Fixing the cooling system with a soldering iron

[tbd]

It will be 2 years come November that I've been on the Vanagon maintenance ride. Recently I have had to repair the repair that a mechanic had done when I took the vanagon in for an appraisal. It just so happened that as I pulled into the mechanic's parking lot the large diameter steel pipe for the cooling system that runs about the exhaust manifold on the left side of the engine sprung a leak. When the mechanic checked it his finger went through the pipe. Approximately $750 later I got the vanagon back.

You might wonder why this is relevant. But it is. The mechanic claimed that the pipe was no longer available so he used one that was similar and that required the heat shield(?) to be modified so it would fit. This pipe cost $173. After almost 2 years and about 10K miles I removed the pipe after seeing this rust.

It is the same place that the previous pipe rusted out after 10 years. It wasn't leaking yet but I wasn't taking any chances. The new rusty pipe sat about 0.5 inches above the exhaust manifold. I suspect that contributed to the quick rust formation. I replaced it with a stainless steel pipe, for $135, that sits about 1.5 inches above the manifold. I suspect that I have a different supplier than the mechanic was using.

Now about that soldering iron.

Since I had to drain the system to replace the pipe I decided to tackle a suspected bad thermostat. The vanagon temperature never seemed to get to the mid-range of the dial and it didn't warm up last winter until I blocked the lower radiator opening. To me this seemed to say thermostat. Now on my vanagon, sourced from Wisconsin, land of salt, the heads of the bolts on the top of the thermostat housing looked more like rivets so I decided that I would just replace the entire housing. So there I was merrily taking hoses off thinking "Oh, this should be easy, just two bolts." I even told the spouse, "Yah, it'll be just a couple of hours, tops." Someday I might learn. Slid under the vanagon, put the wrench to the top cap screw, applied a little pressure and there was a little bit of resistance and then no resistance. The cap screw head was stripped. So then I lay there under the vanagon looking up at that little cap screw thinking "Oh, crud. This is gonna take a bit more than 2 hours."

Fortunately the lower cap screw came out easily with an impact wrench. Unfortunate there was not enough room around the top cap screw to apply enough force to the head with a vise grips. So while trying to think of a tool that might help get it out, the crazy mechanic that lives in the dark, oily, part of my head says "It's only plastic, it doesn't have to survive coming out, maybe the side angle grinder will fit?" Nope, not without taking more engine bits off. So CM thinks "Maybe it will melt?" Yup, it does melt. All it takes is a 40 watt soldering pencil with a chisel tip. And a bit of time. Hopefully the fumes weren't too toxic...

Turns out that the top cap screw was rusted to the bushing and the head. Once I got the thermostat housing out of the way there was just enough room to get a 8 inch vise grip on the head of the cap screw. Took awhile to get it out since I only had about 30 degrees of rotation every time I placed the vise grips. I cleaned the threads of both holes with a tap and used new cap screws with anti-seize. Completed the hookup with a new housing, new thermostat, new sensors, filled the cooling system, and went for a test drive. The temperature gauge holds steady with the needle over the LED regardless of traffic flow so I'm happy.

The actual time was more like 6 hours spread over 2 days. Some days it just doesn't pay to estimate these things.

[AZ Landshaper]

I didn't even read the whole post but what I can glean from the lines I read was that you have been spooked by the works of volks past.

I can empathize with you. These damn vans have swooped in and consumed years of my life in 3-5 hour increments and I'm not done yet.

I hope u get a ton of joy from that rig. I look forward to hearing more from u
Happy wrenching
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[djkeev]

It may be time to do a preemptive strike, park the Van and update the cooling system completely before a decaying part strands you along the highway.

Dave
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[bluebus86]

the pipes should not rust out if the antifreeze is regularly renewed every year or two. preventative maintanence can pay off big time in the long run.


good luck
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[djkeev]

[bluebus86]

[tbd]

As was stated previously, the rusted pipe is less than 2 years old. The van hasn't been driven much in the winter, since we bought it, and was washed after those times. Unless the mechanic put old antifreeze in the system the antifreeze was also less than 2 years old.

I suspect that the pipe rusted out due to the close proximity to the exhaust manifold. It couldn't take the additional heat. The replacement pipe sits about 3 times the distance from the exhaust manifold.

[Terry Kay]

The position of the pipe from the exhaust has zero to do with the metal fatigue--corrosion.

It's the winter driving you did do & didn't run the van through a car wash that has an underbody wash feature.

There was just a thread not too long ago--" should I drive the van if the winter with the salt on the road?"

Here's your answer--plus other items under the van.

And this isn't the only coolant pipes that have rotted away by driving it in the winter--the early vans all did it.

Nothing new & exciting--
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[bluebus86]

[Wildthings]