Author |
Message |
Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50338
|
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 4:07 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
You can drive the wheels on one side of your van up on a curb to get working room underneath. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32597 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
depps74 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2020 Posts: 157
|
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:34 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
Wildthings wrote: |
You are looking at the oil cooler, it uses coolant to cool the oil during severe conditions and maybe to warm the oil faster when the engine is cold. The hoses can leak and there is a special O-ring between cooler and block that is well know to fail during cold weather starts and puke your engine oil. The cooler it self may also leak but this is pretty rare. You might start by trying to tighten the one hose clamp. and if that doesn't work buy the o-ring and the hoses and then pull the cooler to replace them. If you can't tell for sure what is leaking you might want to go ahead and buy another cooler.
In a pinch driving with the cap loose can cut down on how fast coolant it being lost. When I ran the stock pressure tank I carried a cap that was drilled so it couldn't hold pressure as a limp home device.
When I installed a 2.1L engine into my 83 1/2 I decided to not use a cooler and depend on synthetic oil to handle the heat. Several less potential leaks of coolant and oil this way. |
Thanks this is helpful. Any chance you can point that clamp out in my pic or perhaps in another pic? I have no idea what I am looking at. I hope to build some ramps out of wood tomorrow so I can actually get some clearance to see what I dont know I am looking at |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50338
|
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 10:11 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
The blue thingy in the picture is a spring clamp on one of the two hoses to the cooler. In my experience they don't tend to leak with time. The screw showing inside your hexigon is part of a screw clamp, you could try turning it a 1/4 turn clockwise to see how loose or tight it is. I have had those two little hoses that go to the cooler get crispy and slit because of the heat from the exhaust. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15144 Location: Syracuse, NY
|
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
also fwiw is that a (black) oil cooler/sender adapter you have in the sandwich stack with your oil filter and oil cooler?
not saying that I'm a fan of adding more oil gaskets in that stack to fail on a cold evening.
if your oil light ever comes on.. turn off the motor immediately. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32597 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:57 am Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
danfromsyr wrote: |
also fwiw is that a (black) oil cooler/sender adapter you have in the sandwich stack with your oil filter and oil cooler?
not saying that I'm a fan of adding more oil gaskets in that stack to fail on a cold evening.
if your oil light ever comes on.. turn off the motor immediately. |
Yes, this is a possibility.
I always install a new Genuine VAG oil ring aboye the oil cooler, plus I carry a new one in my spares.
I really doubt that the Glowring double lip seal will fail if the adapter is properly tightened.
I would check the glowring mounting nut at every filter change as a routine part of an oil change.
I, being a worry wart, ordered a spare glowring seal to carry in my spares.
That being said, the peace of mind that an oil pressure gauge provides far Far FAR outweighs any minor concern of a seal failure.
I think this criticism is just being an alarmist.
I see no more failure danger using the glowring than I see in the complex system of Tees, adapters and hoses that other oil pressure gauge hookups require.
I like the Glowring adapter so much I ordered one last night for my 90 engine build.
Not only do I have an easy gauge hook up port but just as easy is an oil temperature port if I so desire.
https://www.glowshiftdirect.com/oil-filter-sandwich-adapter-3-4-unf-16-thread/
https://www.glowshiftdirect.com/replacement-dual-r...-adapters/
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
Last edited by djkeev on Thu Dec 24, 2020 5:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
depps74 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2020 Posts: 157
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 5:07 am Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
danfromsyr wrote: |
also fwiw is that a (black) oil cooler/sender adapter you have in the sandwich stack with your oil filter and oil cooler?
not saying that I'm a fan of adding more oil gaskets in that stack to fail on a cold evening.
if your oil light ever comes on.. turn off the motor immediately. |
that sandwich is a oil pressure unit for a 3rd party gauge on the dash. The light has gone off at 2k RPMs de-accelerating. since I bought it. 3 mechanics have told me its defective. (see other posts) But more importantly the pressure is usually at low 20's (24-26) on a hot engine when it goes off at 2k rpms de-accelerating.
So from an early age I was programed to ignore my instruments. DOnt worry thats the only one I ignore. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32597 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 5:24 am Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
depps74 wrote: |
danfromsyr wrote: |
also fwiw is that a (black) oil cooler/sender adapter you have in the sandwich stack with your oil filter and oil cooler?
not saying that I'm a fan of adding more oil gaskets in that stack to fail on a cold evening.
if your oil light ever comes on.. turn off the motor immediately. |
that sandwich is a oil pressure unit for a 3rd party gauge on the dash. The light has gone off at 2k RPMs de-accelerating. since I bought it. 3 mechanics have told me its defective. (see other posts) But more importantly the pressure is usually at low 20's (24-26) on a hot engine when it goes off at 2k rpms de-accelerating.
So from an early age I was programed to ignore my instruments. DOnt worry thats the only one I ignore. |
Ha!
Proves my point! ^^^
Having a gauge provides peace of mind!
Here is a link to discussion about the GlowRing adapter plate, as you read it you will quickly see that I initially was NOT a fan of it.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=745569
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 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15144 Location: Syracuse, NY
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 8:37 am Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
ahh I do recall the start of this journey. and a gauge is always a good thing.
just be aware that those are a point of concern about the time you forget they are even installed.
same goes for the OEM seal above the cooler..
I put them on the 5year replacement list.. and like Dave carry one in my spares bundle under the seat.
I've 2 VWs in the yard with lower end engine issues from an oil cooler/filter seal failing.
just make a mental note and now back to our regular programming..
coolant losses. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
?Waldo? Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 9:37 am Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
Here's a decent page on diagnosing the dynamic oil pressure warning system.
https://vincewaldon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=28
Bentley 17.9-17.10 state that with an oil temperature of 176°F, then at 2000 rpms the oil pressure should be above 29 psi. It sounds like your oil pressure warning system is doing its job. However, the Bentley also states that the high pressure switch (which triggers the buzzer) should be a 13.1 psi switch on the WBX rather than the 22.3-29psi switch used on other similar year VW models with the inline-4 gasoline engines. I believe the Bentley manual is probably mistaken about the pressures in that section and has the info erroneously copied and pasted from the dynamic oil pressure warning system of the inline-4 gasoline engines. I believe that Crazyvwvanman commented on this earlier in this thread, or maybe another recent thread. Most likely someone replaced the high pressure oil switch with the higher pressure one from a vw gasser inline-4 and the buzzer is being triggered higher than it should. The buzzer is a nice feature to have when it is working properly and could save you a lot of money if you fix it and heed it rather than learning to ignore it. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
?Waldo? Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9752 Location: Where?
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 10:01 am Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
I believe this is the correct high pressure switch: https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/068919081A. One electrical connection, unscrew the old one, screw in the new one, and odds are good your buzzer will work properly (and only start buzzing if the pressure drops below 13psi above 2,000 rpms). |
|
Back to top |
|
|
depps74 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2020 Posts: 157
|
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:05 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
UPDATE: Bad news. Christmas Day, I turn on the van and a st juggle to start, churning, gave some gas, and it was fine. Turned her off tried again, fired right up. But then.... poof white smoke out the tailpipe. From all accounts of samba searching, this is bad. Gotta be a blown head gasket. So how much this gonna cost me? No way I can try this on my own. Another $1400 from what I can guesstimate from searches.
Two questions: Could this be because of the water pump going bad? Or oil cooler going bad and not a head gasket?
AND
How much will a gasket cost to repair? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50338
|
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:22 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
Cylinders full of gas can make whitish smoke that typically clears up very quickly (and of course stinks like gas), while white smoke from water takes longer. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32597 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9800 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
|
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:55 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
Don't Panic.
As noted, could be many things - for older cars some white smoke from the exhaust right after a cold start is common. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
depps74 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2020 Posts: 157
|
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
Ah dinner was great. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I have nothing else left to do today, kids are in bed so logging in here.....
Yes correct, thanks Dave, I forgot to mention I pressurized it using the bike pump method. First I topped off the coolant tank, then I had to pump it about 5 times at first to locate two hissing hoses on the top hose that circles the engine bay (the hose was not holding pressure at all). After that I pressurized and the pump fell off the nipple, then once more I pressurized carefully placed the pump across the engine bay and closed the hatch. Note I never went over 20 psi. The next am the pressure dropped back to zero and about 1/5 of the coolant was missing. I traced the leak back to the pump (so I think) there was a puddle under the weeping hole (I think) very hard to see. Still amazed at how the heck you guys can see what your doing. Dave recommended a wire camera. Anyhow there was also a massive coolant puddle under the oil cooler screw. There were also a lot of grenen drips along the fins of the engine bottom and the bracket that crosses the van from wheel to wheel. All these were present in my first few pics. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32597 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
depps74 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2020 Posts: 157
|
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: My first breakdown!!! White steam coming out the left side vent. |
|
|
Timwhy wrote: |
This hose to the oil cooler is very hard to see and it may have failed.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ATM025121058D
I had one crack open and it would just spit coolant, hard to see and equally hard to replace with limited room to clamp down. |
Did it cause smoke in the exhaust? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|