water tanks

[Sir Brixalot]

Thanks. Mine had a blockage in exactly the same place you had. I'm going to order the Brickwerk cap that I should have got in the first place. The header tank looks distorted although its new, weirdly it looks as if its collapsing but that can't be right.

[ghost123uk]

The header tank looks distorted although its new, weirdly it looks as if its collapsing but that can't be right.

It could be if the cap is not allowing "suck back" although I would have expected the larger rubber hoses to collapse first. GSF / JK or a proper Brickwerks tank ?

[Sir Brixalot]

The pipe that was blocked is clear, I should have blown but I didn't and got a mouthful of coolant. I maybe using the wrong word, the clear plastic pipe has what looks like a white plastic corkscrew inside. Not sure if its anything to do with the cooling system. GSF tank

[ghost123uk]

I maybe using the wrong word, the clear plastic pipe has what looks like a white plastic corkscrew inside. Not sure if its anything to do with the cooling system. GSF tank

Sounds like the old fashioned type nylon reinforced fuel pipe

Picture ?

[Sir Brixalot]

I maybe using the wrong word, the clear plastic pipe has what looks like a white plastic corkscrew inside. Not sure if its anything to do with the cooling system. GSF tank

Sounds like the old fashioned type nylon reinforced fuel pipe

Picture ?

Bit blurry, my phones pretty ancient - its that bright pipe coming out of LH water jacket. Anyone know where I can get one of those cap pressure tests, Kevtherev mentioned? AA have done it and the sniff test and said no problem but I've run out of ideas and want to do it myself

[kevtherev]

That's the brake servo vacuum hose

[Rich Tea]

I had problems with two tanks.
The first was a GSF item. The seam halfway up the tank looked very untidy. When installed with the engine running it pee'd a narrow stream of coolant from the seam. Hard to see as it round the back, but the clouds of steam off the exhaust pointed the way.

The second was a Topran unit, the system wouldn't pressurise. It was the filler neck which was oval so when I tightened it hard it would jump a thread.

In the end I resorted to going to VW for an original bottle and cap. They still sell them!

Have you tried holding the revs at 2000 with the cap off the bottle? If the level drops, top it up and put the cap back on. Don't allow the revs to drop with the cap off or else you'll get hot wet feet.

Hope you get fixed
Rich

[Sir Brixalot]

Thanks, yes I have filled it whilst revving at 2000 rpm and more. The header tank appears full but after a short drive it is half empty. If I then unscrew the pressure tap, the tank immediately fills again - really frustrating. The GSF tank is rubbish, I had told the garage that I would go to Volkespares but garage had already put in GSF

The sensor on top of the header tank doesn't seem to do anything when the level drops. On my dash the top LH side light has been removed, are the two linked? Its a 1989 trident Autosleeper

[Rich Tea]

If it's not leaking out from anywhere I cant help thinking it's trapped air. However I can only comment on my own experience, so someone else may know better.

Do you open the cap when you get back from your drive, or wait for it to cool down fully? The reason I ask is that it will only refil from the top-up bottle as the coolant contacts as it cools and the negative pressure is sufficient to open the valve in the cap. Assuming of course that there's no leak in the system venting the pressure and that the cap works.
Rich

[mark]

The sensor on top of the header tank doesn't seem to do anything when the level drops. On my dash the top LH side light has been removed, are the two linked? Its a 1989 trident Autosleeper

hi
the sensor in the header tank is linked to red led at 12oclock above the temp gauge. this should flash when or even before the coolant reaches the min mark on the header tank.

i have had a root around the interweb and found 3 possible faults, air in the system, head leak pressurising the system, faulty darlek along with hoses and header tank.

i also found that the clear ring around the hatch is self bleeding???, but i havent found anything to back this up anyone know????

if you google ''over pressurising coolant system vw vanagon''

mark

[Sir Brixalot]

Thanks again. Just took it for another spin. I could hear air being forced out around coolant sensor and new tank is distorted, not sure whether that's cause or symptom, but does suggest that new dalek is faulty. Going to leave now it until Brickwerks tank and dalek arrive.

[Rich Tea]

The pipe that runs around the hatch, (either clear plastic or metal) runs to the top of the thermostat housing which has a bleed screw on top. Should be opened during the bleeding proceedure.

If you've got a leak around the sensor, this would prevent the tank refilling from the top up tank, there's not necessarily a problem with the cap. The sensor and O-ring are the first things I changed on mine, before I noticed I had small cracks around the filler neck (leading to my fun with new, rubbish tanks).

I've seen tanks which look a bit deformed, look like they have a pinch in them when viewed from above. I read somewhere that some suppliers sell seconds, with the number ground off. Not sure if that's true but could believe it from my experience.

Rich