You should get some tools for pressure testing the cooling system and the
cap. As a quick test with the system full shortly after starting the hoses
should become hard from the pressure building up in the system.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jeff Palmer
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2016 11:25 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Gurgling rad?

Thanks Dennis. I have a spare pressure cap I can swap in. How do you know if
it's functioning properly?

I store my van for the winter in an unheated garage while the temp gets to
-30. Seems like every year it loses coolant while stored and I never see
evidence of it. I rarely add coolant during summer operation.

It is a fairly new rad.

Jeff

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 30, 2016, at 10:19 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>
> The gurgling is a sign that the fluid is being exposed to something
> hot enough that the vapor pressure in the cooling system is not
> sufficient to keep the coolant from boiling. Most likely the coolant
> is flashing off in the engine and doing some damage along the way. Get
> the system topped off and check the pressure cap for proper operation.
> Do you know where the coolant is leaking? It is not normal for the level
to drop.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Jeff Palmer
> Sent: Monday, May 30, 2016 11:05 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Gurgling rad?
>
> Hi everyone - my coolant level dropped a bit over the winter (which
> happens every year).  I noticed today after a 30 minute drive that
> when i shut the motor off the rad gurgled.  Is that an air bubble that
needs to be bled?
>
> Thanks
> Jeff
> 85 Westfalia auto with 2.1