Very good post Dennis! As for the head, they ar new AMC with german
valves, forget about that :-), but the stud theory is a good
possibility, still, at 160 psi compression warm....? but i agree with
you, those head gasket could fell on heavy load...

By the way Dennis, just so you know, i love the 1.9 cooling system!  i
will tell you why on another post, and belive me, i know about cooling!

Again, good point on the crack theory, your are absolutely right on the
larger VS small crack. But my guess goes toward a larger crack.

I will keep you guys updated on that problem

Ben

Dennis Haynes wrote:

>>From the symptoms, and the sudden failure, it sounds like the head studs
>lost their preload, (came loose) and under load the heads are lifting off
>and putting combustion gases into the cooling system. The 1.9 cooling system
>has no tolerance for this. Another possibility is a cracked head.
>
>As for the radiators, there are a number of ways in which they can fail. The
>most obvious is corrosion and leakage. The next is internal deposits keeping
>the tubes from flowing or even if they do flow, do transfer heat. Then there
>are the small pinhole leaks where you never see the coolant escaping but
>they let air in while things are cooling, and my favorite is the cracked
>internal baffle. Coolant goes in the bottom and comes out the top and never
>passes through the core. This is a tuffy. Small crack causes most trouble at
>idle and low speed. Large crack does that and under load.
>
>Dennis
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>Benny boy
>Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 8:47 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Need input on radiator problem
>
>Guys, yea, i need your input!
>
>I had NO radiator related problem since i started working on Vanagon! yea,
>so they are not so bad after all, anyway, what i need is feedback on those
>who had problem! What i would like to know is the folllowing and it concern
>those who has NO real leak on the rad:
>
>-Did you had overheating problem, if yes, when, freeway/hills or on idle,
>mid speed,all the time, intermittent?
>
>-Did the overheating happen suddenly? without warning or slowly on a long
>period of time, was it on a hot summer day?
>
>-For those who the rad was the problem, do you know if it was cloggued? fin
>dammage? leaking?
>
>Here is why i'm asking: i did a top-end and others small stuff for a very
>nice 62yo lady a few month ago, now, she is stranded with over-heating
>problem deep into Mexico (near Acapulco), most coolant componants were
>replace, heads/pistons are new, water pump, thermostat and many other
>coolant related parts were replaced (not to say all). Since that top-end,
>she did at least 5000 miles without any problem. She just call me from there
>telling my some small town mechanic was removing the thermostat as we where
>on the phone, i went bazoukkk... i told her how to test the thermostat wile
>there and explain to her how to flush the rad to see if it was flowing.
>(it's a 1.9 by the way)
>
>The engine/coolant don't overheat at low speed, only on big hills wile
>climbing, the engine sound and run fine all the time with good power, even
>when it's over-heating??? she getting pretty good with understanding
>mechanical stuff so she was able to tell me that she saw boilling in the exp
>tank with some coolant getting out of the cap? Cap and tank are new! so i'm
>pretty sure it's hot for real and it's not the gauge, i'm blaming the rad,
>but i never had rad problem on Vanagon, so..  She didn't have any oil or
>coolant consumption for those 5000miles, no dripping anywhere! I was not
>quick enough on the phone to ask her if the rad was hot, so i don't know!
>All i know is that the mechanic tested the compression (155-160) all around,
>check all hoses. I know that the return line would be cold if the rad is
>cloggued but i didn't have time to tell her that also. Of what i know, it's
>NOT overheating on idle. It may be a deeper core problem, but i doubt it.
>
>As for a head gasket failure... well, it's my job to re-seal wasser! But
>hey, anything can happen, i'm not god.
>
>My spanish is basic so i was not able to speak much with the very helpfull
>mechanic!
>
>I had radiators problem in my mechanic life but not on vanagon, of course,
>on a car, a failling rad will show sign of failure at high speed (When the
>engine is working hard)
>
>Anyway, if you have input on rad problem let me know ASAP!
>
>Thanks, Ben
>http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
>
>
>
>
>