You definitely have air in the cooling system, and that's why it goes hot
and cold on you.

You need to (absolutely must) get the cooling system bled of air - I am
surprised your shops didn't suggest this - maybe you never mentioned it.

Have this done properly by a shop experienced in Vanagons - that someone
that you trust has used.

You may also have a stuck thermostat - that could be a good reason it never
warms up - other listees may have more ideas on this that just this one.

Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Deon Reynolds" <d@DEONREYNOLDS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 03:21 PM
Subject: Coolant/Heater

> Hi All,
>
> Last month I drove my 1987 Vanagon Syncro from my home in the
> northwest corner of Oregon (at sea level) to Carson City, Nevada in
> one day (660 miles). Half way I pulled off the road for lunch at
> 5,000 ft. and discovered coolant pouring from the overflow bottle
> (behind the license plate) Nervously, and watching the temp gauge I
> drove on to the next town. (the temp gauge stayed almost at the
> coldest point) the folks there said "is that a foreign car?" So I
> kept on driving. Occasionally stopping to check the coolant level. It
> never overflowed again, but the flow going into the bottle was
> bubbling a few of the times that I checked it. I made it to J&J VW
> Vans in Reno. They checked out the cooling system for leaks
> (pressurizing the system). He checked the thermal switches, etc.
> finding nothing wrong, except the pressure release valve of the cap
> on the back side of the overflow bottle did not let out over
> pressure. The cap was replaced. So I drove on to my final
> destination, and back home, another 1,400 miles. The temp never
> climbed above the white line at the bottom of the gauge. And the van
> didn't seem to have any loss of power, or did I loose any coolant.
> (J&J suggested I watch the coolant level) Now that I'm home I have
> noticed the coolant level had dropped (very little) So I topped it
> off, the next day I checked it, and now the coolant is too full. Also
> I have noticed at times the heater will warm up then suddenly get
> cold, and doesn't get warm again. Its been into my local shop and
> they could not find any problems.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Deon Reynolds
> 1987 Vanagon Syncro
> 1985 Golf
> 1963 Land Rover IIa 88 (For Sale)
> http://www.deonreynolds.com