Mind if I...smoke?

[Terry Kay]

Her's some good advise, and it might get you home one day when Old Faithful decided to blow.(again?)

If you know you have a punctured hose, or a leak that is causing some styem to fly out from under the Van--and you are in BFE--do this;

Loosen the expansion tank cap.

What's this?

Open up the enine cover and look to the far left hand corner.
You'll see a small tank, usually with a blue cap on it.( could be black)

open up the cap just enough to get the pressure outa the system.

You can drive the without any pressure on the system, just as long as you keep moving.
when you slow down it'll blow a little water/ coolant back outa the threads of the cap--but you won't have any pressue on the damged hose--and won't lose it all.

Use this plan in an emergency--"get home situation" so you can at least take a good look at it when you've calmed down.

Bought an 89 Carat in Ohio--ran good, looked good, and the guy told me he's drive it to California --no problem.

Hell, I didn't even make it the the Ohio / Indiana line before the hose to the bleeder loop, under the AC compressor blew a hole in itself.

No gas stations, no service area's--what did I do?

I got to a 7-11 bought 2 gallons of water, loaded her up, and loosened the cap.

I made it all the way home ( west side of Chicago) with no more problems.

I lost a little water, but it the temp gauge was steady, and didn't overheat.

Just food for thought when your in a bind out in BFE.

It might get you home anyway.
_________________
T.K.

[whafalia]

Sounds like a vanagon guy to me, fix, drive, break, take cool picture, fix.
I nearly wore through a heater hose after doing some CV work, apparently dislodged it so it could rub on the axle, caught it when retorquing.

[climberjohn]

Terry,

That is a damn crafty idea!
I hope no one here ever has to use it, but thanks a lot for posting it.

-CJ
_________________
'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[markz2004]

[?Waldo?]

If the engine is hot, then be darn careful when loosening the cap. Place a towel over the cap and very slowly open it just to the point that pressure starts being relieved. If the system is hot then pressure can cause the scalding fluid to be ejected violently from the cap in a geyser.

[Vanagon Nut]

[Terry Kay]

I've told this one before--it's pretty funny--same 89 Carat.

Fast forward 6 months--
I went out to Rockford Il. on I-90 at speed , and I'm real close to where I'm getting off--

Oops--more steam blowing out in back--temp needle coming up fast.

I hit an off ramp and it comes to a T at the bottom at a stop light.
I got the red.

I shut the van off, and wait for the green---nope she won't start.
I'm a little pissed, and frantic, because I must have picked a busy ramp, and I'm in front of the parade.

I look up behind me, and see something i've never seen efore, and have to take a double take on this one.

It's the Hershey Kissmobile--what in the heck is that?
It looks lke the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile--except it doesn't have a Hot Dog on it--it's got 3 magumbo Hershey Kisses on it, and the winshield is in the front Kiss.
I'm laughing--

I look and there is a young lady driving it--and a guy riding shotgun.

I wave at him--and to the back of my Van--like push push in the bush--

He gives me a hand , we push it across the intersection, into a motel parking lot.

I tell him thanks much-and off he goes back to the Kissmobile, and down the road they go.

Anyway--this time it's the "S" hose on the back side of the R/H head.
huh---

I let her cool down, and load it up with water, looosen the cap, and the only thing I have in the Van is some 3-M packaging tape.

I wrapped it around the hose tight, and off I go--I know there is a Farm & Fleet about a mile or two away.
They won't have a Vanagon hose, but they have a big selection of Farm & machinery hoses--I'll find something--

The packaging tape was enough with the loose cap to get me to a place where I could find something that would work to get me where I was going and back home anyway---

The Kissmobile--another bizarre happening to TK.


PS--
This is the Van that kept blowing hoses for no reason at all (I thought.)

When I figured that it was the radiator--( what else could it be?)
and changed it the problem was over.

The water pump would build so much one way pressure, any weak hose was the next one to blow----

This one took me awhile to put my finger on---and solve.

So if your Van starts blowing hoses for no reason at all that you can think of, & outa the clear blue-----I'll have to say it's time for a new radiator--
_________________
T.K.

[levi]

[Terry Kay]

"As Seen On TV " Levi?

I am almost postive I caught the tail end of some informercial last night with 4-or 5 rolls of red, blue, black & yellow tape--about the width of electrician's tape, and they were wrapping up leaking pipes with it---
Seal a Leak or something like that---
A Wrap a hole.

Might be a good idea to cary some of this around with you--it isn't too big for the glovebox--
_________________
T.K.

[Vanagonner]

I have some of that, "Wrap n Seal" or something like that I got at the yellow face big box store. I'm really impressed with it. I got it to wrap my cracked upper ball joint boots before winter, and it is sealing and staying on there just fine. I also ran a "test" with it on my washer fluid hoses. I replaced the lower part of the system with larger dia. new tubing, then got in a hurry before I replaced the uppers and nozzles and just stuck the little hose inside of the bigger one (not even an interference fit), wrapped it with the tape and tried it. Holds pressure, with no leaks a month later.
_________________
Sage
'82 Westy 1.6 D
the mighty n/a

[Joe Westy]

[Classicvibe]

Wow, where to start?

I think my position was summarized well by by a bunch of you, thanks. For those of you that managed to be born knowing everything, I am envious, and hope that works out for ya. This is all live and learn here, and that is part of the fun. And thank you for the advice, the positive was all great stuff!

In the end, it was a tiny little "S" rubber hose (the weakest link) that required a flush and some new coolant ($200+). I have not crept into the cooling system very far, so this was an expensive and unnecessary fix, but I was glad to have my local shop fix it for me (thanks again Utah Imports). It appears the part is discontinued, so they found a fix at the local pep boys. I am slowly moving from firefighting to preventative maintenance-too bad I didn't get to that system yet! For those interested I will list the VW part and the cheap (<$10) fix later (still not sure exactly).

I have owned and worked on GTIs, Audi Coupes, bugs etc., but none of them have required this level of knowledge and had so many systems that need help. I restore vintage motorcycles and scooters as well, and have a decent collection. I mean, I can turn a wrench, and am looking to get better. I am not afraid to break things and learn to fix them. Maybe I'm just not book-thmart like the flamers. I spend at least two Saturdays a month working on my van, learning about the systems and performing upgrades. I tend to break things here and there, driving and even repairing. I am a desk-jockey consultant by day so I like the whole experience, both running and not. I have been visiting the Samba for what must be 10 years.

BTW - I have an extensive write up I will release in the coming weeks...a document I would have loved to read before I bought my van, documenting the first six months of ownership costs, repairs, time investment, system upgrades, etc. (not that it would have changed my buying the van)-I listed a teaser below.

I am also researching a cost-effective sound/thermal insulation solution based on what I have learned here, and have a couple of companies donating product, the results will hopefully change our noisy vanagon world. In other words, thank you for your contributions (that fix is awesome Terry and Co.!) and I hope to pass on something you will find helpful in your Van-obsession in the future. The general vibe here is awesome, and man, to say the Samba is a "good" resource is putting it sooo lightly.

In the meantime I will keep working to become a "VW guy!" Is there criteria or a grading system, perhaps a club card that might prevent future lambasting? Thanks again.[/img]
_________________
On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.

Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!

1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter

[jacob.]

[markz2004]

[Jteerlink]

Classicvibe,

Line replacements are an upcoming spring project. I am in the Sugarhouse area, and would love to see what Utah Imports did for ya.

Still I am glad to see "The Coop" is priority one while the vanagon is outside smoking in the parking lot! I love it, life goes on.

"Uh, yer Westy is smoking. Oh, yeah, it had the Eleven wing sauce"

Best,

[Terry Kay]

<<

LMFAO! Is that what was behind you? If so, that is beyond funny.>>

I was so PO'ed at the Van till I stopped at the ligh at the bottom of that 1/2 mile ramp--it kinda wound around- I A Big -U

I got out and looked up when it wouldn't start--and see this creature from the Black Lagoon on my back bumper--
I've never seen one before or ever again since you posted this picture--

I was LMAO when I saw it and the kids operating it were good eggs too, giving me a hand getting the Van from plugging up the end of the off ramp.

Boy--I hate being in the front of a parade & DOA---

Yea--now it is pretty funny stuff---the Kissmobile is a funny looking thing too--kinda took me abaft for a moment--

Thanks for the picture.
_________________
T.K.

[Vsyevolod]