Bryan:
What you have described is exactly the repair that had been done by the
previous owner.  The same repair was also done to my '82 Vanagon GL diesel.  It
seems to be a pretty common solution to the "end of the pipe" rust-out.  My
problem is that the "cancer" has spread down the pipes to new and inaccessible
locations.  I'm pretty sure total replacement is required at this point.  I
think I have swiss cheese!
Maynard

On Tuesday, September 04, 2001 2:57 PM, dieselwesty
[SMTP:dieselwesty@yahoo.com] wrote:
> In doing my engine conversion I to had a hole in my original steel pipe at
> the engine compartment side.  When I read in the Bentley what was involved
> in making the swap to plastic pipes, I did not want to go that route.
> With the motor and trans out of van, it made things easy to work on this
> area.  I cut about a foot of the end of the upper pipe.  It rusted where the
> pipe is hose clamped to the holding bracket at the top of the engine
> cowling.
> I went to a marine/auto parts store and got a 1 foot piece of 1 1/4 inch
> rubber hose used for cooling diesel engines in boats.  It had just the right
> inner dimension to fit snuggly over the outside of the steel coolant pipe
> that I just cut off and a piece of threaded brass pipe about 6 inches long
> that I was going to use to join the new piece of hose to my rubber coolant
> hose going to the head.
>
> I have filled the van with coolant, and will start her up for the first time
> tomorrow.  We will see how this fix holds up under
> pressure....................
>
> Bryan Belman       Pt. Pleasant, NJ
> 1990 Audi 200 Turbo (Money Pit)
> 1982 Westy 1.9l NA (In process)
> 1970 Type1 Std. Beetle (This one is done)