Larry,

Idled 20 min & all OK
Ran up the freeway 20 min and all OK
Back to shop and boil over at idle.

Why did you bring the van to the shop in the first place?  Under what
circumstances did it get hot?

Sure, check the fill cap, but my suspicion from what you've told us is
that you have a bad fan switch.

Idled 20 min & all OK - just got up to temperature and the thermostat
opened.

Ran up the freeway 20 min and all OK - driving with cooling air blowing
over the radiator.

Back to shop and boil over at idle - engine hot and no air blowing over
radiator; I'd boil over, too!

OTOH, I'm not a mechanic.  My advice is worth what you've paid for it.

Karl Wolz

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
Behalf Of
> Larry Chase
> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 7:51 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Engine overheating - Need Advice
>
> Volks,
>
> The Haus is in the shop and I could use some suggestions on what might
be
> going on.
>
> Headed out of town the other day and the engine began overheating.
>
> Thought it might be a stuck thermostat ...but that doesn't seem to be
the
> case.
>
> Thermostat  and thermo switch changed and system properly bleed.
>
> Idled engine for 20 minutes .... no problem.
>
> Took test drive at highway speed .... 20 minutes ... no problem.
>
> Back to the shop .... idled another 10-15 minutes ..... started
boiling
> over.
>
> BTW .... fan didn't come on.
>
> Any ideas.
>
>
> Larry Chase
> www.roadhaus.com <http://www.roadhaus.com/>