Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Water Cooler System Design Flaw Workaround?
From:Don Hanson
Date:Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:13:22 -0700

When I screwed-up my first-ever Vanagon radiator bleed and caused a
headgasket failure in my inline four gas rabbit motor...I drove it to
California and back anyway (a little Barr's Leak in there)  I could go about
2 tanks of fuel before I would need to bleed the rad. again.  When the
heater began blowing cool air, it told me it was time....I got a piece of
steel brake line tubing and bent it in an "S".  Connected the S to a
funnel.  Then, at a gas stop I'd pull the radiator air bleed screw, stick
the brake line 'funnel adaptor' into that little hole and pour in some
coolant...right into the air bleed orfice.  Took me about one minute and got
me another 600 miles of driving.  It would bubble as the air came out,
displaced by coolant...when all the air was out, you get a steady flow of
coolant back out of the hole...Done.

  Now I carry along that little funnel and "s" bend.   Every couple of
months, I pop out the bleed screw and see how much coolant I can pour into
the hole. My 'vanagon air bleed proceedure'.

  Don Hanson