2 hours before vaca, coolant tanks cracks

[Hatterasker]

Edit: No longer asking for help!

I spent the last month+ getting the van dialed for a two week trip into the mountains. It was running tight on test drives atdifferent speeds for the last week after more than daily “drive then inspect” missions. 1990 Vanagon.

Last night, I ran a final errand with everything loaded and packed. Parked and Coolant was pouring out. Hair line cracks in main coolant reservoir at the blue cap.

Does anybody in the Seattle area have a spare coolant reservoir that they want to sell?

I’ll get the aluminum GW but i don’t have time right now. It’s been a year. I need this trip.

I’m in West Seattle and will get to you somehow.
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1990 Vanagon Westfalia

[valvecovergasket]

ah man sorry to hear that if the samba locals strike out, maybe call the usual suspects in the seattle area to see if they have any in stock?
peace vans shouldnt be too far from you.. ?

[Hatterasker]

Thanks, valvecovergasket.

I'm going down the phone list. Autozone URO-011365 will allegedly arrive tomorrow but I cannot rely on that. O'Reilly and Advance don't have.

Calling shops now.

Any suggestions welcome. It's an easy fix but a hard part.
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1990 Vanagon Westfalia

[valvecovergasket]

fine tuning might be another one to reach out to

[Hatterasker]

Eion’s has it. Hopping the C Line now.
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1990 Vanagon Westfalia

[brickster]

If possible, try and use OEM as there have been reports of the aftermarket ones being crap. Pick and pull near you?

[Hatterasker]

I’m going with the GW aluminum tank soonish. I just need one to last 18 days and a few mountain passes and some dirt roads.

Heading to Eion’s on Westlake. They have one.

Fingers crossed.
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1990 Vanagon Westfalia

[jimf909]

[do.dah]

Eh,, I have a pair, maybe 3 I can give you, and I can meet you in W. sea soonish.

[Hatterasker]

Thank you for the kind words and offers for the part. TheSamba is a great community. So I put the new tank in, bled it (getting very very good at that), tested, got it warm, was feeling good, idling at my driveway, coolant level sensor exploded leaving the threads snuggly in the new tank, and the coolant running down the alley (sorry neighbors for the toxic run off) and All over the engine compartment.

The bad news is the wispy gunk floating in the little coolant that remained in the tank. According to the (yes, incredibly helpful) Vince at Eion’s, that likely means carbon. Carbon means head gasket. Head gasket means (in my very frustrated “vacation rapidly shifting away from the solo camping on a remote river” mind) are these vans worth it. Alright. Done whining. Hopefully. Maybe. But definitely for now.

At any rate. I’ll probably take to train and enjoy a much shorter time in the woods with my cousin and a friend. There will still be fish. Still be dark and silent nights. There’s still won’t be cell phone coverage.
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1990 Vanagon Westfalia

[atomatom]

sorry to hear that, hope you have a good trip.

you said you were getting good at bleeding it - that was my life before i fixed mine, it kept backing up into the tank behind the licence plate. i also had the coolant sensor blow out like that while waiting in traffic (mid trip, with family, going through a mudslide)

maybe a used engine from someone's subaru swap. otherwise, pretty major rebuild. maybe it is less severe, but boo. at least it didn't happen in the middle of nowhere.

if you do need to move it, drill out a blue cap (through the black part) so it doesn't hold pressure. not a real solution, but it will stop things blowing up.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[Hatterasker]

Thanks, atomx2.

That’s a good call on the Subaru swap spare engine potential. I’ll start working through my options soon.

I love these vans. I’d rather stick with them but the math gets steep quick.
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1990 Vanagon Westfalia

[Hatterasker]

[outcaststudios]

sucks, why did the coolant level sensor blow up? just curious. there must be a way to rig up a fix, you can weld plastic for sure its not impossible to fix is it? post pics.
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'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[bobbyblack]

Soooo... Nobody willing to tell you that you CAN run without the Blue cap on the tank? I got 400 miles done with symptoms like you are either right out saying, or similar to... Anyway, a combustion gas test kit is small beans at most any auto parts store to rule out a leak.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[DanHoug]

[outcaststudios]

gotcha,fingers crossed then.
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'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[Hatterasker]

[Yondermtn]

My tank recently bit the dust and when I replaced it I realized I was using a 1.9 tank in my 2.1 and had been for about five years. So I’m a pinch maybe that could help someone.
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1977 Westfalia 2.0FI 4spd
1990 Multivan 2.1 Auto

[bobbyblack]