Again, this is an old topic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The van is so simple to bleed if you have check/replace the crucial
component (Water pump, thermostat, temp sender...)

I have bled my 11th vanagon this week!!!!
I hope some of you guys are using my site, i still wonder!

You need to lift the front of the 1.9L, period!!! (i just did)

I also just change the coolant (and pump) on a 2.1L, i have not raise the
front or back for the sake of a test. I bled the van for an hour while
driving this one(Stop-bled-drive), at first the temp was a bit higher (10%)
but after an hour or so (uphill-downhill) the van came back to normal temp
(1/2 on the gauge). Now after 50 mile the temp is still stable at 1/2 gauge
reading.

When you do the first fill YOU NEED TO RAISE THE RPM TO AT LEAST 2000,
why!!!! you need to force the coolant up front, the coolant pump is no
bigger than a honda civic pump, but it as to carry 5 time the amounth of
coolant!!!!!

To understand the coolant flow:
http://pages.infinit.net/engine/cooling_system_flow.htm

To bleed:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/huotx/bleeding.htm

Why is the front rad is staying cold:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/huotx/front_radiator.htm

The water pump:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/huotx/water_pump.htm

Use my damn site! I work my ass out of doing this one..................

Regards, Ben
http://www3.sympatico.ca/huotx/engine1.htm