Club 80-90 Forums

Right you lot that got your attention.
The bus has been sucking air into the coolant now for some time and i have got the bleeding of said coolant system down to a fine art. BUT it seems to be getting worse. i have changed the res cap, water pump and various hoses (not all yet) and have just done a sniffer test on the coolant tank that came back ok i have just put a pressure test on the engine all come out ok lowest was 114 highest was 130.
Unfortunatly whilst bleeding the bus this time the radiator split where the bleeding nut is located dont know if this is down to how many times i have undone and tightened this nut or possibly thats where there was a hairline crack????.
So in a nutshell......Im sucking in air not losing coolant dont think its the heads .....Next step im going to put a brand new rad on, hoses and going to change every hose in the engine bay.
Heater matrix going to have a look at this maybe changed to eliminate
Can you guys think of anything else that may need doing, this time whilst all my coolant is now running down the drive im going to spend about 300 quid and do as much replacing with new stuff as i can
God dam rust bucket dont you just love em
Also where can i get the thin metal pipe that runs at the back of the engine bay just under the engine bay lid

69 hits no answers you lot are just dirty pervs

Also where can i get the thin metal pipe that runs at the back of the engine bay just under the engine bay lid

I saw one of these recently maybe at parts emporium


I think it is your head gasket. do all the pipes get really hard with pressure? does it keep blowing caps and seals? the more you replace the next item will simply blow too if it is the head gasket, I dont see how a system already under pressure can "suck" air in, it will have to be forced in, maybe by an explosion that happens 2000 times a minute.

Time to whip the head off.
Could be cracked?

Disappointed...........



BTW What they said.

pipes dont blow not over the top hard just displaces the water to the res by the number plate to above the filler cap.
bleed the rad and water gets sucked back in.
Ive got to change the rad now anyway so will do the pipes and possibly the heater matrix then there aint much else left but the engine.
pressure test on engine is fine sniffer test is also fine
After about 200 miles i have to bleed the system if i dont it throws the coolant out of the res at the number plate.

certainly sounds like a cracked head/leaking gasket... if you bleed it and then go for a ride and it still blows water out, it cant be just coz its sucked air in... it doesnt suck air in unless its been hot and then cooled down.. that could be one of a hundred different conections.. and it should show a green stain where its leaking.. (if air is getting back in water will be coming out)
Have you used a gen VW pressure cap? the aftermarket ones are rubbish and generally dont hold pressure...

Caps fine the air gets in the coolant then pushes the level up in the res by the numberplate. all pipes checked no leaks,staining and even holds pressure when the van is standing cold.
I have in the last two years not topped the coolant up so not losing any i just let the air out of the rad as needed normaly when the coolant fills the res at the numberplate.
If i drive for a while with the heater on cold then put it to red you can hear the air glug through.
Just rang elite and asked them if they will come and pick it up put a new rad on some new pipes and recon the engine thats in. will know on thursday what price they gonna charge for lifting it from Stafford to Essex
Im willing to spend about a grand to get it all sorted recons about 680 for a stock engine but i would like to keep the one thats in