Bob,

I believe that you are looking at the ridge that is imbedded in the pipe to
prevent the hose from coming off once attached and under pressure.  About
130,000 miles ago I removed the ridge and just got a longer hose.  The stock
one is 1 1/4" and about 8 inches long.  I went into auto parts store with
the sample and told the guy I wanted a hose from another car that had the
same diameter but a much longer straight run.  I think I got a ford part...
who knows... but I took it home and cut a straight piece out of it that was
about 14 inches long and used double hose clamps and not a peep from it in
130,000 miles.

Jere
90 GL
88 GL

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Bob Whitby
Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2002 1:19 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: plastic coolant pipes,,,ummmm

Very soon I am going to stop looking for problems on my newly acquired 87
Westy because damned if I don't keep finding them...

Long plastic coolant pipes this time. While doing the "stick a garden hose
in the pipe" flush procedure I noticed that the end of one of the pipes
jutted out 3/4 inch, and the end of the other didn't. Checked the other two
and they too all jutted out 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Now I don't suppose this
is exactly how they are supposed to look, right? Of course not.

On the plus side I have averted a major separation of pipe and hose while
traveling in the middle of God knows where this summer. On the minus side I
now have to replace these things. The usual questions:

1) How difficult is this?
2) Is there a really cheap, fantastically reliable alternative that
absolutely anyone who is everyone with a Vanagon has already done?

Soaked,
Bob W.
87 Westy