Hey all,
Reading the Click and Clack column in The Washington Post today:

Dear Tom and Ray:
	My son in Florida has been having overheating problems with his
'85 VW Vanagon.  On a trip to visit us recently, one of his lower
coolant hoses blew.  While he was here, one on the upper right side
blew.  On his way back home, the upper left side blew.  He says up to
about 60 mph, it immediately goes up.  He took it to a dealer, who
replaced one more hose and the radiator cap, but the temperature gauge
still reads hot.  Any thoughts? -- Len

Ray:  My first thought is, boy, am I glad I don't drive around in a VW
Vanagon!

Tom:  No, he means thoughts about what's wrong with his son's car, you
knucklehead.  Len, I think your boy has a plugged-up radiator.  That's
what's causing the overheating at high speed and the buildup of excess
pressure in the cooling system, which is causing those old hoses to
blow.

Ray:  If it's not a plugged-up radiator, it could be a blown head
gasket.  That would allow hot combustion gases to get into the coolant
and could also be responsible for the excess pressure and temperature.

Tom:  I'd check for the bad head gasket first.  Just have your mechanic
remove the radiator cap and hold his emissions wand over the opening.
If it detects excessive hydrocarbons (i.e., more than 50 parts per
million) in the coolant, then the head gasket (or the head) needs to be
replaced.  [Note, looks like Tom and Ray don't even know that a VW
Vanagon has two heads!]

Ray:  If there's no sign of combustion gases in the coolant, then I'd
have the radiator removed and flow tested.  And if it tests poorly,
he'll have to put in a new one.

So, what do you all think about their "diagnosis"?

Sean
--
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Sean Bartnik            Fahrvergnugen really means "push harder."         
sbart7kb@www.mwc.edu          
'81 Vanagon Westy                   

http://www.mwc.edu/~sbart7kb/myvan.htm
http://www.mwc.edu/~sbart7kb/tech.htm
'78 Owner's Manual:  http://www.conservatory.com/vw/manuals_nyx/
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