I knew it was good to go to church, but I never knew why.

(Please, not flames. This is for purposes of humor only.)

>From: Richard Bias <rbias@HOTMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Richard Bias <rbias@HOTMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: The test...
>Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2002 06:41:44 -0500
>
>All,
>  It is with immense pleasure and gratitude that I write this email.  I am
>happy to report that I drove my 1985 GL Vanagon, "Buba" the 44 miles to
>work
>this morning (in the rain) with the rock hard, steadfast performance I have
>enjoyed for the past few years or so.  At the urging of my lovely wife and
>great list members like Ken, Ron, Bob and a few others, I didn't start
>tearing my engine down for a rebuild, or out for a Boston Bob replacement
>UNTIL I had it tested for combustion gasses in the coolant system.  Well, I
>brought the Van to a wonderful local guy and he had a syringe type tester
>with blue dye in it and put it on my reservoir tank.  He pumped the tester
>to draw the air from the system through the dye and waited, kept pumping...
>The dye is a brilliant blue and he stated that it would turn instantly
>bright yellow in the presence of hydrocarbons or carbon dioxide.  Well,
>three minutes and lots of pumping later, dye is still blue!  He mentioned
>that I should go around and tighten up any loose clamps (just like a few
>people on this list did) because the system could be drawing AIR into it
>and
>that would give me the air gap and overflown over flow tank...  I go home
>and tell my wife who is very happy with the news.
>  Fast forward an hour or so later...  I am in Church celebrating Mass and
>it hit me like a rock!!  Air in the system!!  I changed the heater control
>valve a few weeks ago and the system naturally took AIR into it!  Well,
>that
>is the air that was bleeding out.  So, once again, I jumped the gun.  It is
>from being shell shocked though...  I am so fearful of the "dreaded head
>gasket failure" (because I have had it before) and of the engine going
>South
>that I look and jump at the first seemingly sign of trouble.  Thanks to all
>for responding to my call for opinions and help, and the warning to get it
>tested before you open it up.
>
>Sincerely,
>Richard F. and Annemarie Bias
>85 GL "Buba"
>
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