Read the fine print on the new coolant jugs...
if it doesn't say all the old coolant must come out look for a web site or
phone number... call the technical people and then go to your mechanic with
that...

Bill Davidson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Colin Carmichael" <colincarmichael@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2000 3:58 PM
Subject: Need your input - questionable mechanic (long)

> Hi all -
>
> I had a frustrating experience today and need the
> advice of my fellow listees. Let me preface my story
> by saying that I've had my Vanagon since July of this
> year and feel like I'm pretty well read/informed -
> though I don't do my own work.
>
> My water pump had started leaking with the change in
> the weather.  I bought a new one from The Bus Depot,
> picked up a few gallons of orange coolant and dropped
> the van off at the local independent VW shop to have
> the pump installed and the coolant system flushed.  I
> specifically asked him to flush the system and use a
> 50/50 mix of the orange coolant and water.
>
> I went to pick up the van today.  When I got home, I
> noticed the coolant expansion tank was very close to
> empty.  In addition, the coolant at the bottom of the
> tank was blue. Then I noticed two of the three gallons
> of coolant I had supplied were in the back seat of the
> van.
>
> I phoned the mechanic and he said the system only
> needed two gallons of fluid after the water pump had
> been installed.  I pushed him a little harder and he
> told me there is coolant in the system that is almost
> impossible to get out without unconnecting radiator
> hoses up front and flushing it out with a hose (which
> is what I thought I had asked him to do). He then
> started in with the "I wish you'd trust me - this is
> what I do for a living - blah,blah,blah.."
>
> Fair enough - I told him I was probably semi-paranoid
> thanks to the Vanagon Mailing List and knowing the
> limitations of the van. I also expressed my thoughts
> on the importance of flushing the cooling system every
> year or two. (You guys will like this) He discredited
> the vanagon mailing list saying that very few of you
> work on Volkswagens for a living and told me that it
> was ok to have a mix of the blue and orange stuff in
> there and the existing coolant looked ok.
>
> Knowing the PO was relatively clueless about the van
> (when bought, the van had under-rated Uniroyal tires,
> Fram Oil Filter, Etc.), isn't it important that I do a
> thorough coolant flush and not just top off what came
> out with the water pump install?  Also, he charged me
> for 5 hours of labor for installing a water pump.
> Does that seem a little long? Can anyone recommend a
> good Vanagon mechanic in the Tulsa area? (I understand
> the systems in the van, but I'm a little intimidated
> to do my own work.  My uncle is a great mechanic, but
> has no experience with Vanagons. Maybe I'll start
> having him do the work and just supervise?)
>
> Anxious to hear your thoughts.  Sorry this is a little
> long.
>
> Thanks
> Colin
> Tulsa, OK
>
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