i hear bubbles

[marcusvictoria]

not taken my van on a long run yet as previous owner said it was popping a hose. He thought it was sorted. But once i turn the engine off i can hear bubbles coming from the rad area. Anyone got any ideas?
Marcus

[ermie571]

Hiya mate - sounds like you have air in the system. It needs to be bleed....and then hope it doesn't come back.

Must admit, don't like the sound of "keeps popping hoses" bit - kind of indicates that you have a long term problem with combustion gasses getting into the coolant. But hey....lets see if a damn good bleed sorts it.

You don't say what engine you've got....different methods for diesel and petrol. Do some reading on here, in the wiki, and the technical thread.

Once you have it bled, might be worth a sniffer test.

Fingers crossed it just needs a damn good bleed.

Take care, and enjoy your van

Em
xx

[marcusvictoria]

Great thanks.
Engine is a 1700 diesel.

[ermie571]

well - that's me out then....I am a petrol girl!

you will need one of the diesel boys or girls to assist.

Em
xx

[marcusvictoria]

And em if you have 3 t25s thats just greedy!

Marcus

[ghost123uk]

Have a look at this =

From a recent thread I took part in =

So this probably stems from an air lock and subsequent over heating, as I did have a water pipe burst during the winter.

Possibly yes.

From that "long post" see this =

Also more thoughts...........
Cleaned out the bleed pipes from top of engine. This was in one............



While the other was blocked by plastic, the T' junction mold hadn't been cleaned out properly, Had to drill it out. I'm sure the pressure build-up is what eventually caused the seals to go.

Go & check your bleed pipes, Just disconnect from engine & check that coolant can run out. If it can't look further.

I too had exactly the same type of blockage in 2 places in the thin pipes that run around the lip of the engine bay, and also in the thin part of the rubber one that comes from the rear of the left hand head, and goes to the afore mentioned metal pipe. This causes the water to cease flowing around the l/h cylinder head, that in turn causes the water to boil, in my case the "dalek" cap was not releasing the excess pressure fast enough and that caused 2 x hoses to blow out. (I think this was what killed my original engine as it was that l/h rear cylinder that semi seized)

Check all those thinner water pipes in the engine bay for blockages

Take care as if it is this and that l/h head is not getting cooling water it could end up in a BIG bill (as it did for me = replacement engine )

Taken from this post = viewtopic.php?f=37&t=74394 re popping pipes, caused by that blockage causing the coolant in the l/h head to BOIL = might be causing your bubbling noises too ?

I have seen this "issue" twice in real life and about 5 times on here

[Mocki]

Apparently all you need to do to bleed a diesel is pour water in and squeeze the pipes abit whilst revving the engine.

[marcusvictoria]

I have also heard to fill the rad from the top. I have air getting in bloody somewhere.

[kevtherev]

I have also heard to fill the rad from the top. I have air getting in bloody somewhere.

even if you could do that any air getting in the system will end up in the rad...
cracked head is my ten pence

[ermie571]

Kev - I thought so too......but didn't want to spread doom and gloom

Em
xx

[ermie571]

Apparently all you need to do to bleed a diesel is pour water in and squeeze the pipes abit whilst revving the engine.

Christ - that's easy! can you be clearer on the "squeeze a bit" part? Any pipe in particular?

Em
xx

[marcusvictoria]

No doom and gloom yet as mane water pipe off head had a jet stream of water flying across engine bay, must have been leaking a little under pressure and finally showed itself to me yesterday:-) so should be ordering a pipe from somewhere today.

[ermie571]

phew....thank goodness for that....

BUT>>> if its anything like the petrol system, the next question to ask yourself is "why did the pipe fail" - and as long as the answer isn't "increased pressure in system due to cracked head" you will be fine....How will I know I hear you ask....well, you will fit the new pipe, the pressure will build, and the next weak link will be found. (my petrol had 3 such water features, including a radiator, all about 3 months apart with regular topping and bleeding before the leaky gasket got bad enough to errupt in a cloud of steam at the top of a local hill)

Honest, for peace of mind, a sniff test takes minutes in a garage...the AA do them roadside. Just put an indicating fluid above the water expansion tank...run the engine...fluid changes colour.... , or if it doesn't and it was a worn pipe.

Sorry,

Em
xx

[marcusvictoria]

My mainwater hose in the engine bay the £109 one was cut down at the engine end for some reason unknown then held in place with poor quality hose clips which cut it let water out and air in Which caused my bubbles. So I ordered a hose and a shorter one below it all the hose clamps and a thermostat all from vw. Wallet a little lighter now but vw was cheaper then vw heritage! !! So fingers crossed that the problem is solved.

[marcusvictoria]

Also the sniff test was all good. Head gasket all good. Thank god. Well the vw god anyway.