Check the line to the fill reservoir for any blockage. If it's fine, replace
both the tank and cap.  Make sure the coolant sensor isn't screwed in too
hard, that's where my tanks usually cracked on the '84.  The cap protects
the tank from too much pressure, so  the tank shouldn't break no matter what
the engine is doing if the pressure is limited by the cap like it's supposed
to be, unless all the tanks now are junk.  If that's the case then we are
all in trouble.

Good luck!

Stuart

Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Felder [mailto:jim.felder@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 4:28 PM
To: Stuart MacMillan
Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: 91 pops tank after tank

It's newer than the tank. I know that doesn't mean anything. My next move of
course is a replacement tank just to get it driveable for further testing.

Jim

On Sat, Jul 14, 2012 at 6:12 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Try putting on a new pressure cap--do the easiest things first!  Who
> knows what it does when it's hot, which is why driveway testing is
meaningless.
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Jim Felder
> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 3:28 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: 91 pops tank after tank
>
> My 91 2.1 has been acting strangely. I don't drive it much; my
> daughter drives it a lot though. It came down with Vanagon syndrome on
> Friday and I THINK I fixed it by doing what I have done before on
> other Vanagons, which is make sure the connections to the AFM cable
> were nice and clean. It's been raining for days, that does take its toll
on connections..
>
> After I got it running again, I noticed the coolant was low, which is
> unusual for thise van EXCEPT for the times it has had problems:
>
> valve on the rear heater-popped the top of off the plastic housing.
>
> one of the hoses
>
> coolant tank--it has gone through two used ones a a new one in a
> little over a year, possibly 18 months but way to soon. The tanks all
split at the top.
> I had this happen on my 90 years ago when it developed head problems.
> This one will be the fourth.
>
> Some time back I rigged up a pressure tester on a coolant cap to see
> if it was reading too high. In the driveway, the numbers look good.
> The trouble is, I can't see what the numbers are going to pulling a
> hill, etc.
>
> Car exhibits no other bad-head symptoms.
>
> But it's got to be something, four tanks in less than two years is not
> a coincidence.
>
> Advice?
>
> Jim
>