Not a happy camper.

[HerrBGone]

Neither Thunder nor I are happy campers right at this very moment. I finally think I have the cooling system issues worked out and he starts pissing antifreeze like a newly minted diabetic. There wouldn’t happen to be a coolant overflow relief valve hidden just above the starboard, um, head gasket by any chance? Please? I promise I’ll be good…

Short story long: I was giving a friend a ride to the store about a mile up the road. On the way out I noticed a trace of moisture on the ground that seemed to follow Thunder’s wheel track from a pothole around the turn into the yard. All the instruments read fine and I thought it was from a puddle in the crater. Then while I was waiting for the friend to come out of the store I noticed steam in the rearview as I was keeping an eye on a pick up pulling out of the lot. I was sincerely hopping it was coming from him. That I’m posting about it here probably would make it agonizingly obvious that is wasn’t even without my preamble. As the friend climbed back in I bailed out and ran around back to check. I was met with a sure sign of disaster: antifreeze. A quick check of the gages said all was well, even though it clearly was not. Since we were less than three-quarters of a mile from home we booked back to the house. I turned on the A/C fan to turn on the radiator fan as we pulled out of the parking lot. We made it home without further incident – except for the spewing of antifreeze all over the lawn under the back of the van. The temp gauge only went about one needle width higher than usual and the blinky red light did not come on. I backed up onto my ramps so I could get a better look from underneath and the passenger side tin was gushing fluid. This with the engine turned off.

I tried to get a picture from underneath but the battery in my old Mavica died on me. The one shot I did get is hoplesly overexposed from the overpowering flash. Maybe later, but by then all the fluid will be dried up and it won’t provide any clues as to where it’s coming from..

And a fun time was had by none.
_________________
HerrBGone
(AKA: Dave)

A fellow wanderer on the road less traveled

Fritz, '71 Superbeetle
Galileo, '98 New Beetle
Thunder, '85 Vanagon Westfalia (full camper)

[[email protected]]

did you take the aircleaner assy off and investigate yet? I had something simalar happen to me, ended up being a rubber hose that ran uder the assembly. The hole was not visible and did not leak while just sitting but it would mist while hot and under pressure and right in a spot that was very hard to see. I thought for sure I toasted a gasket, luckily it was a 10 dollar hose

Mines and 88, so the hose routings a bit different than yours though, I'm thinking positive though Good luck!
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Markus

[HerrBGone]

Ah! So there may yet be hope! I’ll check into that as soon as I get home tonight. I was too discouraged to much more than gape in horror last night.

Thanks!

I’ll keep you posted.
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HerrBGone
(AKA: Dave)

A fellow wanderer on the road less traveled

Fritz, '71 Superbeetle
Galileo, '98 New Beetle
Thunder, '85 Vanagon Westfalia (full camper)

[r39o]

OK. Don't panic yet. I recently fixed a right side leak on my 85 also. You do not have to remove the aircleaner to see it, but to fix it you do. There is a haeter hose that runs from the right head out to the front of the van. It is a funny special 1 inch to 5/8 inch house with a sharp bent in it. Kinda like an S. I used a Napa 10965 (I think) hose until I put in all new hoses.

So do not panic, yet, go look from inside the engine compartment on the back side of the head first.

Good luck,
Walt...
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"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[HerrBGone]

Phew! I never in my life thought I’d be this glad to see a blown radiator hose! The hose looks like several of the trees in the woods behind my house – all puffy and stretched right where it goes into the ground. No, wait, that’s the trees... The hose looks like that just after the hose clamp. I managed to keep it running long enough without the air filter to see several drips right where it’s at its puffiest. I’ll be looking up that NAPA hose until the right one comes in the mail.

Thanks guys! Y’all were a major help! I was picturing sending Thunder off to the auto-ER on a flatbed. Many jobs I can do here in the yard, but I really don’t want to open up the engine to the extent of doing the head gaskets where there’s that much dirt around.

Thanks again!
_________________
HerrBGone
(AKA: Dave)

A fellow wanderer on the road less traveled

Fritz, '71 Superbeetle
Galileo, '98 New Beetle
Thunder, '85 Vanagon Westfalia (full camper)

[montemerrick]

congratulations!!!!!!!!!
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_______________________________

Money has the smell of dead fish or refuse
but then you get used to it.
- Ananda Surya

[RCB]

Greetings, The lesser of two evils, AND cheaper to boot!!
It could have been much worse, glad to hear the good news or not so good news. OH heck you know what I mean.
Best 2U,
RCB

[HerrBGone]

Thunder is off the DL! WooHoo!!!

I got the hose and clamps at CAP since NAPA seems to think that they only need to be open when the local garages are. Total for parts less coolant: $25-. Labor: A couple hours of my time. A few minutes to install the hose, and the balance re-burping the system. When I was finally able to examine the hose there was a 1/16 inch split about a quarter inch past the clamp at the head end of the hose. Under pressure it was spewing enough to make me think very bad things had happened.

All is well with the world again, and I even saved enough from not having to do the head gasket to almost fill the tank!
_________________
HerrBGone
(AKA: Dave)

A fellow wanderer on the road less traveled

Fritz, '71 Superbeetle
Galileo, '98 New Beetle
Thunder, '85 Vanagon Westfalia (full camper)

[r39o]

GOOD. Mine was bad in the same spot and I got myself down the road by using self sealing rubber tape and tire patch glue. But, it dripped too a little bit. So I put in the Napa hose, no problem. I too have the (expensive) correct hose too now to install amongst all the other new ones I bought.

I had heard there may be a better replacement hose around at another parts store, but I never could find it. Did you find one with a jog in it?
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[HerrBGone]

The one I got was a straight hose. It was about a foot and a half longer than I needed, so I now have that much extra hose in the smaller diameter if I need it for something else. It’s probably the same hose that costs less at NAPA, but this store was opened when I could get to it.
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HerrBGone
(AKA: Dave)

A fellow wanderer on the road less traveled

Fritz, '71 Superbeetle
Galileo, '98 New Beetle
Thunder, '85 Vanagon Westfalia (full camper)

[r39o]

Napa 10965 is $17.69 online and was less in the store.

http://www.napaautoparts.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster...e+-+Heater
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)