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Sun Aug 26, 2018 11:39 am

Hello all,

My 84 Westy is leaking coolant. I believe that I have traced the leak to the Coolant hose bleeder. I cannot see a crack but it is obviously leaking from the bottom of the bleeder. I have two questions that I hope people can help me with.

1. I see there are plastic and aluminum replacements. What are the pros and cons between the two? The one in there is plastic. I do not know when it was last replaced if at all.

2. If I choose to replace this myself is there anything else to it then just removing the old part and putting in the new one? It seems pretty straight forward. Make sure it clips in and some hose clamps. Do I need to adjust anything?

Any advice would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Greg

1984 Westfalia WC

Mon Aug 27, 2018 2:39 am

The aluminium ones will last for ever but are expensive, they come with the auto hose connections so you need to blank these off if you have a manual.

The plastic ones are much cheaper but they could fail again in future and only the manual version is available.

I have an auto but have replaced the transmission cooler with the heat sink type so I used a manual version plastic one.

Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:47 am

Mellow Yellow 74 wrote: The aluminium ones will last for ever but are expensive, they come with the auto hose connections so you need to blank these off if you have a manual.

The plastic ones are much cheaper but they could fail again in future and only the manual version is available.

I have an auto but have replaced the transmission cooler with the heat sink type so I used a manual version plastic one.

Definitely spring for the aluminum one, it doesn't have the weak point that ruins the plastic ones, the stupidly designed bleeder nipple cast of the same plastic. A metal threaded fitting there would have made the factory nylon ones last nearly forever, but they all break there.

But if you buy the alu one and don't have an auto-trans, don't trust the rubber nipple caps that may be included, they aren't rated for hot coolant service and will fail quickly. If the seller hasn't changed their practice and tapped those nipples for threaded metal plugs, do so yourself before installation.

Tue Aug 28, 2018 5:32 pm

The aluminum bleeder fitting I bought from the old Van Cafe, and which is sold by the new Van Cafe, comes with clamps and a hose connecting the two 'auto' nipples.

Notwithstanding that--it still leaked! This drip came from a loose clamp on the 'blank off' hose, tightened that yesterday. I installed an RMW metal tank and that fitting, and 'The German Water-and-Antifreeze Torture' has gone on all summer. Drip, drip, drip from different connections. Get those hose clamps TIGHT, folks, and remember that the geometry of the hoses changes a bit.

Other than that, both the tank and the junction/bleeder are good products and Mike LaBate himself answered a question I had on the bleeder. You bleed from the metal fitting by loosening a bolt over a blob of sealant with a wrench. That hasn't leaked a drop.

Best!