>From: "Jonc" <jonc@webgears.com>

>I have made some modifications to the 1.9 WBX cooling system...

>First I installed a valve in the lower hose of the radiator which >allows
>for draining and filling... [filling using a pump]

>Then I installed a small automatic vent in the spot where the radiator
> >vent bolt used to be...

Where did you get this small automatic vent? Whats the part number?
Who makes it? You're not worried that it will fail at some point?

>Then I installed a vent in each of the hoses on the back wall of the
> >engine compartment right next to the odd little plastic vent that VW
> >installed..

>With these small modifications I am able to get all the air out of the
> >system with no problem .... The van can be flat on the ground and does
> >not have to be run to filled... I have drained and filled the system
> >many times at this point and have never had the flashing low water >idiot
>light on the temp gage come on even for a second...

Not even when you start it up???

>The van runs at 85 degrees C where the thermostat opens and never
>varies even when idling for and hour in the 100 degree heat here in >South
>Florida...

Would you or have you used water wetter in this?

If I recall right, the BMW thermistat I have (which is paired with a matched
fan switch) is marked as 80 degrees C.

>It is my opinion that it is not possible to get all the air out
>of the system as designed by VW... It is just not a well vented >system...
>The cooling system is plenty big enough to cool under any >ambient
>condition. .....IF you can get all the air out....
>I can and do ...

>One of the secretes of venting the air is filling slowly from the  >bottom
>valve with a small pump... the air is displaced out the vents >almost
>totally.... As the coolant starts coming out of each vent you >shut it down
>until the last thing open is the radiator or the >expansion tank when that
>is full... Run the van up to temp and watch >the expansion tank... It may
>loose 2 inches when running the first >time... If the temp is already up
>just crack the cap on the expansion >tank and that water will vent ... As
>soon as that happens retighten >the cap...

Do you have any air in the expansion tank (is that the right word for it: I
don't mean the overflow tank) - Is it completely full of nothing but water
and coolant and no air space???

>Then drive the van as you like you are done...The automatic vent at >the
>radiator will vent small amounts of air...

Without this automatic vent installed where would the air otherwise go and
how would you deal with it???

>You only have to keep the reservoir full of coolant... I check mine and
>fill as needed, which is not very often maybe once a month...
>Jonc

>From: "Mark Dorm" <mark_hb@hotmail.com>
>
> >So whats been going on with this project of yours??? Are you on the >
> >verge of making a cooling system that will allow us to run our
> >waterboxers 500,000 miles between rebuilds???
> >
> >
> > >From: Jonc <jonc@webgears.com>
> > >
> > >the prototypical parts have been manufactured and installed in a >
> >1985 Westfalia... The original system was completely drained of >
> >coolant the conventional way... Three vents and one combination > >purge
>valve, drain valve and refill valve [four components] have > >been
>installed according to design by Riverside Precision Motors > >in Hartland
>Vermont...
>________________________________________________________________________

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