GoWesty Coolant Pipe Repair Kit - How Does It Work?

[?Waldo?]

It seems like the week for coolant pipe questions so I'll post one of my own.

[deprivation]

I've been building my spring to-do list and the GW inserts were initially a high priority. But, like you, I gave it some thought and couldn't really see how the brass inserts prevent the hose from coming off the coolant pipe if the plastic inserts let go. Arguably, if the plastic insert slips out, it will press against the brass one and the tension on the rubber coolant hose itself between the two clamps will take the pressure. Is that the idea?

I am curious if anyone has had a GW kit conclusively prevent a hose from letting go after the insert has popped out of the plastic line.

edited for wretched spelling and sentence structure.
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1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com

[?Waldo?]

[peasant]

Andrew,

I have considering this exact topic on my own(when thinking about buying the kit) and have came to the same conclusions you have.

Is Automotive Goop the product name of the glue you used? I just may do that because have noticed them starting to come out.

Also, what did you do to extract the end from the plastic tube?
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89 wolfsberg weekender carat
89 Westfalia

[wgargan]

losing my mind....
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Current ride:

1983.5 Watercooled Vanagon 'L' Automatic transmission

[deprivation]

[GBA 88West LA]

ive used them and they work very well, its a good alternative...basically the brass buts up against the metal insert in the plastic tubing to keep it from moving via the clamps...so what youre suppose to do is if your metal insert is coming out dont force it back in it may collapse the line or crack it worse. youre suppose to use a heat gun or device similar heat up the plastic coolant tube warm enough to allow the metal insert to go back in..once in you insert the brass blocks into the hose not the coolant tubes..you slide them back far enough so when you join the hose and tubing they abutt each other, clamp each in place and voila the insert can no longer come on because the brass tubing is blocking its way...this will not work with a collapse tube or tube missing the metal insert...i was going to glue also but deciding against it those tubes get hot & i was afraid the adhesive would melt or peel away onto the rad and motor....its a cheap fix but it works...i thought over time the metal inserts come out not from force but from the tubes expanding and contracting they slid out a little at a time during the expansion process
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88 Westy GL Vanaru 07 2.5 EJ25/AA Trans/oiling plates, 1.14 3rd-.77-4th..solar powered cabin

[deprivation]

[?Waldo?]

[?Waldo?]

Yes, heating the tube with a heat gun or hair drier is the preferable way of removing.

[danfromsyr]

I just put the oem inserts back in place and put a SS pop-rivit where the clamp covers anyways.
if they have enough expansion power to sever the SS rivit, then what's anything gunna do

cost about free, i always seem to have more loose pop rivits then I ever really need or use. so they must be free(range) in my garage.

now lets get back to talkin about my SS rivit recharging my batteries while I'm on the highway

Dan in NY
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[PDXWesty]

I think the key to the GW kit is that the hose is clamped onto the plastic pipe and not the steel insert. Push the rubber hose on far enough that the clamp is on the pipe, then the two clamps hold it together as an assembly. That's the only way I see it working.
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[funagon]

[kevinbassplayer]

I installed this kit about 3 years ago. One of my inserts had come out of the pipe by about an inch. I heated the insert with a heat gun and pounded it back in place with a rubber mallet. After installing the kit I periodically sqeeze the hose to check and the insert on the pipe is still where I left it. The brass piece is keeping the insert on the pipe from moving forward by basically pushing back on it, pretty simple.

[funagon]

[foodeater]

I'm with Libby on this one. cant see how it would do anything. I've looked at them before and pondered how they could have any effect.

Maybe someone who has them could remove the brass pieces and see if it has any adverse effects. If the inserts come back out after the brass pieces are removed then we'll know that GoWesty has some serious voodoo going on that I just don't understand .
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89 Bluestar-2.5 Subaru Powered-RIP
'84 Westy Tiico-daily driver-sold
'82 Caddy diesel-sold
'87 Vanagon Syncro-RIP
'81 diesel rabbit-sold
'82 Vanagon auto-RIP

[connorsvw2]

I have not tried this, but having made parts of my Subaru Vanagon cooling system from 1.25 copper pipe, it looks like you could create your own version of this piece by cutting a short section of 1.25 copper pipe and sweating/soldering a thin copper wire bead around each end to re-create the rolled bead of the GW unit. On my 85 the 1.25 pipe just fits inside the 1.5 hoses with a bit of "persuasion"; in fact it's tight enough I doubt you'd need to clamp it to keep it from wandering.

[?Waldo?]

14.5 psi of coolant pressure is acting on the junction of the rubber hose and plastic coolant pipe. That is the force that pulls the rubber hose off the coolant pipe. The nub of the insert greatly adds to the resistance of the hose pulling off the coolant pipe and so the coolant pressure via the rubber hose actually pulls primarily on the insert itself and is the force that pulls the insert out of the coolant pipe. The brass insert clamped inward of the stock insert is just along for the ride and doing nothing to keep the insert in the coolant pipe. The brass insert is kinda like a kid in a snuggly when the parent is in a tug of war...

I don't think I'll make any additional attempts to explain the forces involved. As you were...

[Californio]

An easy permanent fix is simply to drill a hole through the center of the tube and hose, insert small brass bolt with washers and locking nut, goop around it to prevent leaks, and tighten it down. That in combination with a clamp will hold it forever. Well, almost.

[Wildthings]

I can't readily explain what forces cause the insert to come out. When I have put them back in they have stayed. The coolant pressure can't have much to do with it as the pressure is going to be almost the same on both ends of the insert, just a tiny difference do to flow losses.

I wonder if part of the problem may be that some inserts may not have been installed fully at the factory and in general these are the only ones we see.