Well, It seems like a good idea... but it seems to me that it would make
getting the plug started in the correct thread would be a bit dicy... would
be a real bummer to strip out the hole threads :(

Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey R" <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 8:56 PM
Subject: Re: Coolant Question

> In a message dated 9/5/2000 6:55:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> macmillan@HOME.COM writes:
>
> > remove the pushrod shields and you will find drain plugs on each water
> >  jacket.
>
>
> Here's my suggestion--when you have the pushrod sheilds off drill a one
inch
> hole so in the future you can access the drain plugs without diconnecting
the
> exhaust bolts. My exhaust bolts are precarious at best--cross-threaded and
> all messed up by the DPO's "mechanic." So I opted to drill the tin to
avoid
> having to remove it at every coolant change. DO NOT drill the tin while
still
> on the engine as you can easily hit pushrod tube cover or cause other
> disasters. If you choose to drill while the sheet tin is on remember it is
> NOT at my suggestion.
>
> I have the 1 inch holes in my sheet tin and have no problems so far. I
> suppose you could argue it makes the push rod cover which is under the tin
> vunerable to objects from the road. But it's only a one inch hole. I
suppose
> you could fabricate a cover for the holes once you drill them to create
the
> original amount of protection. I tried regular 1 inch hole plugs from the
> hardware store to fill the hole but the tin in ribbed in a way that will
not
> accept such plugs.
>
> Naturally if anyone has ideas why this is not a good idea speak up. It's
too
> late for me of course. But honestly I can't think of any disadvantage. And
it
> makes draining the coolant system less of a PITA. Still silly, but less of
a
> PITA.
>
> QUESTION:
> on my 1983.5 Vanagon radiator the bleeder bolt on the top passenger side
> (USA) is just a bolt--a regular bolt. I even checked it on the VW dealer's
> microfiche--a regular bolt. This means it has to come all the way out to
when
> refilling the system to let air escape. I understand on later model busses
> the bolt is actually a bleeder bolt in that it has a groove or a hole
through
> it or something that allows you to loosen it a bit and let air escape
without
> having to remove the entire bolt. Is this true? If it is can I just swap
to a
> later model bleeder bolt? As you might guess getting the bolt back into
the
> radiator while the engine is running at 2,000 RPMS and coolant is pumping
out
> the hole is--well--rather silly. But fun for the neighbors to watch.
>
> TIA
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westy
> Roaming the States
>