Do not remove the the "H" Coupler and attach the hoses direct.  Although the
original design looks a bit screwy it is necessary for the coolant flow to
operate correctly with the expansion tank in the system.

Contact Kenwilfy@vanagain.com to get a great repro replacement that's made
out of metal - much stouter piece.

Jim Thompson
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
oldvolkshome@earthlink.net
jim@karmannghia.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
***********************
----- Original Message -----
From: "William Greenamyer" <william.l.greenamyer@BOEING.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 11:20 AM
Subject: Expansion tank bypass tube cracked

> Got a problem with my 84GL Vanagon.  Between the coolent expansion tank
and
> the engine coolent hoses there is a plastic 'H' type coupling.  This
> coupling shunts most of the coolent away from the expansion tank.  Small
> holes in the coupling allow coolent to enter and leave the expansion tank.
> In looking at the hoses and the tank, it appears that the hoses could be
> attached directly to the expansion tank without much trouble.  It looks
> like the coupling is there to spread the hoses so that the A/C belt can go
> between them.  What I can't explain is why most of the coolent is shunted
> away  from the expansion tank unless it is to protect the cooling system
> from pumping all of the coolent out of the system with a failure of the
> expansion tank giving one time to detect the failure (coolent level
sensor)
> before the engine overheats.  This little "H" coupling is obsolete.  Is
> there an alternative or should the hoses just be connected to the
expansion
> tank?
>
> William