In a message dated 09/04/2008 2:10:46 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

In order  to fully replace the steel pipes, i believe you have to have the
gas tank  out, and the car jacked up REALLY high. I participated in the
pulling of  coolant pipes from an '85 parts van, and it was pretty tricky. It
had me  pretty convinced that there was no way i'd be replacing mine that
way. I  just cannot fathom how you would INSTALL the pipes (Ya obviously  the
opposite of how you took them out). With the transmission and engine  in
place, i could see it being tricky.

So....
I cut my pipes off  with a sabre saw at different points, purchased some
marine grade soft hose  sections, took the "donor pipes" and cut them in
their respective  locations, and coupled it all together with a handful of
stainless steel  hose clamps. This should last me a few years, as the forward
sections of my  pipes have not a speck of rust on them. When it fails again,
it's time for  the stainless steel 2 piece pipes. It seems to me that the
right pipe fails  significantly faster than the left pipe. My right pipe was
ready to burst  (it did burst in removal), and of the 2 parts vans used to
donate pipes,  only 1 "good" right pipe was available. All the left pipes
i've seen so far  though, haven't been nearly as bad.

Therefore, the pipe sections i used  to repair my rear sections, both came
from "LEFT" pipes. It seems to fit  fine, and i am somewhat perplexed
therefore as to why they would bend the  rear sections in a polarized
fashion, right and left being  different.

"There's always a gallon left in  there......somewhere....."

Craig,  I have no idea why you or anyone else would go to this much trouble
to do what  your doing just to have metal pipes that will eventually rust
anyway !!!   Just replace the whole run with 1-1/4"Green Stripe II coolant hose
available from NAPA, part # 28445.  Easy to install, no need to remove  ANYTHING
!    Just clamp the ends and tie wrap in  place.  I have done many vans using
this hose and there are absolutely no  problems.  If your NAPA cannot supply
this hose then I can.  I get it  from my local NAPA in 250 ft. rolls and
always have some in stock  From my  _Vanagon Items Forsale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/sales.htm) ,  "Cooling System" section, webpage:

Hose, coolant, 1-1/4"Green Stripe II, replacement & repair of 1.9 main  metal
coolant pipes, 28445 - $8.95/ft.

    ALSO, the best way to drain the ENTIRE coolant  system is to disconnect
the lower rad hose and install an old used one that has  been cut in half and a
T inserted and a hose connected to that T which leads to  a shut off valve.
You can then adjust the flow rate and collect the  coolant coming out without
any big mess.  To evacuate the system take an  old coolant tank cap and break
open the valve so that you can blow air through  the nipple which would go to
the overflow tank.  Install that cap on the  main tank, install a hose to the
nipple that can be connected to a  controlled air supply from a compressor,
open all the heater valves,  open the bleed valve on the thermostat housing (2.1
models only), turn on air  pressure to blow out the coolant adjusting the
pressure so AS NOT TO BLOW  ANYTHING, run engine briefly to make sure all liquid
is out of the engine  and waterpump, remove air hose, connect water hose
source to the nipple and  flush system with fresh water for at least 15 minutes,
running engine briefly  during this time, then repeat the steps above with air
to remove all liquid,  then refill with fresh coolant and water to specs.

    Please note that I will be away from my  business travelling in Mexico
from November 19, 2007 until April 30, 2008.  Parts orders will be processed
although not as quickly as usual.  I  will always be available for contact by
E-mail.  If you phone your  call will be addressed by Greg T. Brown here and he
will either call you back or  advise you to contact me directly by E-mail.
Details of this adventure are  at _Buses in  Zamora_
(http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/Busesinzamora/) .  A Travel Blog is at: _Zamora Blog_
(http://poolio.net/zamorablog/)

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli

Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15, 2008