The metal connector pipe in question here is sealed by an O-ring against a shoulder on the pipe. There is a groove between two shoulders in the pipe that holds the O-ring in place. Crud and silicone sealant build-ups in the hole from previous work are making it difficult to get the O-ring back out of the hole. A little oil, and some effort will get it off. Sometimes rotating the assemblies as you pull them apart helps. From the PO, mine was a real trial to get apart...

Wesley Pegden <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU> wrote: Thanks for the reply (and the same to everybody else that's replied).
All the responses have been very helpful. I'm confused now, though... I
have both bolts loosened which hold the thermostat housing to the water
pump, so I figure now I need to disconnect all the hoses from the
thermostat to remove it. What I can't figure out is... how do I remove
the metal pipe?? it seems to go straight into the hole....

Thanks again,
Wes
'84 1.9l (manual)

Roger Sisler wrote:

>It sounds like you are doing a waterpump change out on a 1.9.I feel your
>pain.I did the same thing as you snapping bolt heads off.Just couldnt stop
>with one head though.The advice here is to leave those bolts ALONE ! This
>is too late for you,but some other grasshopper may see this. I spent a
>sunday at the yard getting one off another vanagon. A few weeks ago I
>reattempted to fix my old housing , and I think it can be fixed.The keys
>are heat and strong vice grips. I had studs remaining from the broken
>bolts. I used mapp gas for many minutes on the stud and I got one out.The
>remaining stud is still waiting for another day when I got nothing to do.If
>there were 50 lower thermistat housings with 100 bolts, all would be
>snapped off trying to get that stupid flange off(it doesnt need to come
>off, and a new gasket for this comes with the water pump kit,so how would
>you know?).
>
>
>