My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent.

[depps74]

EDIT: 1990 2.1 Automatic Multivan (Weekender)


Tonight I came home from a job, (I live in my van in Nyc when working and commute back when job is done). I was about 3 miles from my home when the battery light came on, then the engine temp starting blinking, and then the oil alarm went off. I pulled over as soon as I could about .5 miles. Steam was billowing out the left vent and license plate. Very nerve racked I let the engine cool down for about 5 min. Then started back up and drove another mile, did not take long for alarm to go off. I stopped again and let it cool down and opened the engine. There was massive steam coming off the reserve tank ( I think that's what its called) as well as a hissing. It was also bubbling like it was boiling. There was also a few belts that came off the AC compressor. IT smelled like burning rubber and steam. I drove home with the alarm going for about another 3-4 minutes, frantic and terrified I may be ruining something in the engine.

I will take to mechanic tomorrow, but wondering what the hell happened. ITs been running great for weeks now.


ugh..... what's that bumpersticker, unless your willing to burn money dont get a VW?

[danfromsyr]

more like
if you are willing to ignore the engine (idiot) lights
don't buy a volkswagen.

the battery light is connected to your Alternator which shares it's drive belt with the waterpump (by design)

when that light came on you were no longer circulating coolant..
if you don't circulate coolant, it WILL overheat in very short order.

your mechanic will tell you the rest of the very expensive story for not reading the owners manual. read #4 the last half states (or while driving...)
here's a copy of an 1985 one. this page is the same for all WBX
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/1985vanagon.php

[Yellow Rabbit]

^this

Hopefully it’s good news. Best case it sounds like you need a water pump. Worst case....let’s not go there yet.

[dhaavers]

x2...

Water pump/alternator belt broke, overheated, much concern.
Sorry to say, you missed a great chance to replace a broken
belt and minimize catastrophic failure...

Good luck, bud... <shrug>

- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[depps74]

shit so I am screwed? Whats the bad news the engine is totaled?

[SCM]

[SCM]

[IdahoDoug]

Depps, (and anybody reading this thread),

That was an incredibly bad idea to keep starting it and driving. I have no doubt that cost you about $500 a minute to keep driving - perhaps the most expensive 6 minutes of your life.

If anyone is reading this that thinks there is any shred of logic to driving an overheated engine, know this. At any given moment, an internal combustion engine is within 3-5 minutes of destroying itself. Always. Going to your buddies house? The engine is trying to destroy itself, foiled by the cooling system the whole way there while you are rocking out to tunes and waving to the neighbors. The only thing keeping this from happening is the cooling system frantically sucking heat off the engine that's immediately replaced by the exploding fuel in a constant battle. The oil is doing the same. Stop either one of these and the engine will destroy itself in 3-5 minutes.

There is no "safe operating time" to make it to the next exit. That gas station up the street. Home. Your buddies house. Never, ever do that again and I hope I'm wrong about the check you are about to write...
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[dhaavers]

If your mechanic is any good, he'll give you the news, straight up.

FWIW: Be ready for it...

- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[0to60in6min]

[Yellow Rabbit]

If we are not clear, don’t drive to the mechanic. Get a tow. Good luck.

[jimf909]

[danfromsyr]

your fortune cookie for this one says
the longest lasting lessons come at great cost.



me I fear for your headgaskets.. that tiny little green O-ring that sits inside the cylinder head can't be too happy about such high dry temps.

the head to block rubber gasket doesn't like the high pressure of a boil over event.

add water, pump system to ~10psi and see if it holds or where it leaks. this can be accomplished with a simple garden sprayer or bicycle pump. (and 0-15psi gauge)
pull spark plugs to see if coolant gets into the cylinders.
a flooded cylinder can bend a rod or crack a piston.

if it holds coolant you'll still need a compression test to see if the piston rings lost their grip on reality too.

many many things.
each and every one of them takes time and $$ for the mechanic.

[?Waldo?]

[Zeitgeist 13]

That's clearly not a VW thing; it's a user error thing.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Wildthings]

If you were still getting boiling you may not have done much harm. My daughter tried to drive my '91 home after a hose blew and it just quit running about a mile from the house, maybe from the fuel boiling in the lines, don't know. I could feel the heat 30 feet away from the car when I approached it. The thermostat housing and lots of stuff on top of the left head were melted, and half of the synthetic oil in the crankcase had burned off. I took the attitude that the engine was a total loss but the wife insisted that I at least try to get it running. A new thermostat housing and several pieces of hose and lesser items later, it ran. The oil use was high and the power noticeably down a bit, but we ran it for a year or so until I acquired another Vanagon and took the '91 out of service to do a Subaru swap.

I don't think your engine saw anywhere near this kind of heat, as my engine had no more steam to give, just burning oil, rubber, and plastic, yet it still ran again.

When a warning light comes on, the clutch pedal needs to go to the floor and the ignition to be turn off as fast as possible. Do not remove the key though as that will LOCK the steering.

Get yourself a AAA membership, so it doesn't cost you anything directly to get a tow. If you take long trips, spring for the 200 mile towing coverage.

[Abscate]

[MarkWard]

At least you saved the money for a tow. Most owners don’t get all the warnings, your van gave you. If you are not going to tackle this yourself, as stated, tow it to a shop. It’s likely not going to be a quick repair, so you’ll need alternate transportation and a motel to sleep in when working. Ouch.
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☮️

[djkeev]

Sadly, younger drivers who grew up with the ever present "Check Engine" light have been taught to ignore auto warning lights.

People will drive for years with a check engine light or a brake light lit up.

On older classic vehicles, warning lights mean something, and that something is that if you don't stop NOW serious and expensive damage may occur.

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[AZ Landshaper]

Good luck fella. Been there and done that and got the t-shirt.
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-------------------------------------------------------
85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.