Yes, this thing broke on me.  I couldn't believe VW was stupid enough to 
make the thing out of plastic.

Trace Choulat
tchoul@unf6.cis.unf.edu
-- '93 MV

On Sat, 4 Nov 1995, John Foster wrote:

> I came across a reference in the archives to a cooling system flange problem
> and want to flag this to (at least) 86 vanagon owners...and probably several
> later years.  On the 86, a cooling hose enters the engine block under the
> alternator through a plastic flange. (See Bentley p19.14--lower right of the
> diagram with the 20 Nm designation.) This flange easily snaps off if any of
> the drive belts break.  VW apparently discovered this problem and has a
> replacemnt flange 025 121 160D made from steel which apparently solves the
> problem. 
> 
> As best I can tell from Bentley the equivalent to this part on the 1983-85
> models was made of metal.  My Bentley does not go past 1986, but I assume VW
> changed to the metal replacement sometime after 1986.  I recommend (from
> painful experience five years ago) that you check to see if you have the
> plastic or metal version.  If you have the plastic version, order the metal
> replacement (about $10 with new o ring as I remember) and at least carry it
> with you until your next coolant change when it can be easily installed.
> 
> I was extremely fortunate that mine broke while in the St Louis region and
> that one (of the then half dozen dealers in the metro area) actually had the
> replacement part in stock.  You clearly risk major engine damage driving
> with this part of the cooling system not functioning.
> 
>                                         John Foster   
>  
> 
>