it is my impression as well as a view expressed by hobart kennedy is that
the main reason that the vanagon cooling system is designed the way it is, is
so that customers could check all the fluids from the license plate door.
since i am by now means an engineer i am searching to see if there are any
strong technical reasons for the system design, i.e. better cooling, less
entrained air, etc.

jonathan

On Mon, 8 Mar 2004, Randy Huyck wrote:

> Perhaps David Brodbeck should have said "there's no room for an expansion
> bottle NEAR the radiator in the Vanagon."  Add another technical prob - they
> would have to have put in hinges and a latch one one of the grills for
> access.  Probably cheaper to put it in the back.
>
> I've seen a number of vehicles with expansion tanks lower than the top of
> the radiator H20 level - many fords and mercs, for example.  As long as the
> outlet from the radiator is controlled by a functioning pressure cap, there
> shouldn't be too much worry about it siphoning out coolant when it
> shouldn't.
>
> Randy, Carla and Anna Huyck
> Olympia, WA
>