In my last adventure with my shop van I found the steel insert sliding out
from the plastic pipe. I took out a good thick piece of flat steel and my
mufler gun with the hammer attachment and reinstalled the insert. The next
step is to drill and install a large pop rivit to hold the insert in place

worked for me
Bob Donalds
Boston engine

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam Walters" <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: problem with front radiator hoses coming loose from plastic
pipes

> David,
>
> the "hack mechanic" that put the metal insert in the plastic pipe was VW
> or whomever made the pipe for them
>
> it was designed that way
>
> the metal piece was to prevent the pipe from cracking under the pressure
> of the clamps and to form the bead that helped keep the rubber hose on
> the pipe
>
> over time they do come loose and this is a problem with those pipes
>
> lots and lots about this in the archives over the years
>
> so you are really playing with fire by running without the metal insert
>
> I don't have anything saved on my hard drive about fixing the metal
> inserts so that they stay in place though there have been suggestions
> about this in the past - I just never had the problem.
>
> However, a quick search for posts containing the header "coolant pipes"
> and written since January 05 turned up lots of hits in about 20 seconds
> and a thread that started with this post.
>
> http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0511C&L=vanagon&P=R10973
>
> looks like it discusses the problem and solutions.  Moving back in time
> would reveal dozens of other threads about this problem and possible
> solutions.
>
> You need to take care of the weakened coolant pipe you created by
> removing the metal insert.
>
> Sam
>
> --
> Sam Walters
>
> Baltimore, MD