ARRRRGHHHH! - I broke it!!!

Post by **ambivert** » 28 Apr 2008, 19:13

I was trying to undo the clip on the small hose which connects the bleeder valve to the metal pipe on top of the engine... and snapped off the part of the bleeder which the hose attaches to. D'oh!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now coolant pisses everywhere out of the bleeder and the hose attached to the metal pipe... And I destroyed the hose too, trying to get the broken bit of the the bleeder out of it... GRRRRRRRRRR...

Are these parts readily available? Can't find them on GSF online.

And I still don't know why my van is overheating! I thought it might be the rad pipes the 'wrong' way round, but they are shaped in such a way that there's only really one possible way they can be connected. I just don't get it...

I think I am going to have to take it to a garage

I think I have tried everything and nothing seems to be working, now I can see why someone butchered the thermostat... BUT what I want is for it be fixed PROPERLY, not for some cowboy to do the same thing to my lovely new thermostat...

Can anyone recommend a garage in Bristol?

Post by **KarlT** » 28 Apr 2008, 19:35

ambivert wrote: I think I am going to have to take it to a garage

Christ mate! They'll know less than you!

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 28 Apr 2008, 19:46

bleeder valve to the metal pipe on top of the engine

can you post a picture of it? what engine is ot for?

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 28 Apr 2008, 20:02

Top thermostat housing you mean, available from Just Kampers .... bought one today

http://shop.justkampers.com/product_inf ... ts_id/9616

Ian.

Post by **grenjs** » 28 Apr 2008, 20:26

Ian Hulley wrote:Top thermostat housing you mean, available from Just Kampers .... bought one today

http://shop.justkampers.com/product_inf ... ts_id/9616

Ian.

Why is everything so damn expensive in this country? That exact same part can be bought in America for just $10.95 (approx £5.50) - http://www.van-cafe.com/vanagon_parts.j ... =705397588.

JK are charging 3 times that amount. It's just not fair!

Even with shipping and Import taxes and duties it would probably work out just a little cheaper than JK, but you'd have to wait 5-10 working days.

Post by **maddog334** » 28 Apr 2008, 20:35

I think the part in question is the bypass assembly from an early dg cooling system it has a plastic take off for a small pipe(approx 6mm id) which connects between itself and the steel pipe , I am not sure what part it plays or whether it could be sealed up, but i doubt you will find a new one, maybe someone on here has a spare .
Martin

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 28 Apr 2008, 20:51

The pics here for our friend to decide ...

[img:237:180]http://shop.justkampers.com/images/JK/lge_J10911.jpg[/img]

If it's off the early system then good luck ... the vast majority of it's been obsolete since Kev the Rev were a lad

Ian.

Post by **ambivert** » 28 Apr 2008, 22:22

Hi guys

its one of these: [img:600:425]http://i-luv.info/Image074a.jpg[/img]
I broke the bottom part of it (just underneath the knurled screw thingy which the small rubber hose attaches to.

like he said:

maddog334 wrote:I think the part in question is the bypass assembly from an early dg cooling system it has a plastic take off for a small pipe(approx 6mm id) which connects between itself and the steel pipe , I am not sure what part it plays or whether it could be sealed up, but i doubt you will find a new one, maybe someone on here has a spare .
Martin

I think I will seal the bleed valve by tapping a screw into the remnant of the plastic takeoff. And then fit the un-mashed up end of the rubber hose back onto the steel pipe, and seal that with a bolt in a similar fashion...

Until if/when I get a replacement... I guess a hose of suitable diameter won't be too hard to find... Not so sure about the valve tho

I suppose I could hunt around for a piece of suitably sized metal pipe and jam it into the hole and just let the friction keep it there.

I wonder if the valve is bust anyway, I can't shut it off... discovered that when flushing water down the rad send hose, some of it returned via the engine thru the valve, instead going via the rad... turning the screw didn't stop it.

Unless of course that part of the valve is always meant to be open and its the connection between the main rad send/return hoses which it controls...?

Either way I don't think this alone could be causing the overheating...

That is if it is actually overheating

I am in denial now

but seriously is there a better way to test the temperature sender unit apart from dunking it into water of known temperature whilst it is still attached to the gauge? This is about the only thing I haven't done yet!!!

And just how hard is it to find a bloody thermometer that goes up to 100 deg C???
Oven thermometer not sensitive enough and can't be immersed in liquid
Body thermometer don't go high enough (not allowed to use mercury anymore it would seem!)
Room thermometer could but don't go high enough cos rooms never that hot
All the meat thermometers I found still don't quite go high enough.

Apparently I need a jam thermometer... where can you find one? Did some serious foot mileage round town looking for that... Eventually asked a local bakery who told me where they got theirs... But it was the weekend and they were closed! I'll get one on friday

Post by **Rozzo** » 28 Apr 2008, 22:24

Ian Hulley wrote:
If it's off the early system then good luck ... the vast majority of it's been obsolete since Kev the Rev were a lad

Ian.

BLIMEY!!!!!! i dint know they even made em that far back

Post by **Grun** » 29 Apr 2008, 08:18

ambivert, you wrote.........

And just how hard is it to find a bloody thermometer that goes up to 100 deg C???

If you can't get one from the bakers supplier, you might find one from a homebrew shop /department. I have one.... bought in the '70s... reads to 110 celsius...... needs to be fully immersed to read correctly.... but should be accurate enough for your purpose.......Or try

http://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk/

Regarding the broken connector. Someone should be able to make up a bit of steel tube with the smaller tube welded (or brazed) to it,. Something along those lines perhaps.

Mike

Post by **ambivert** » 29 Apr 2008, 18:10

Grun wrote:If you can't get one from the bakers supplier, you might find one from a homebrew shop /department. I have one.... bought in the '70s... reads to 110 celsius...... needs to be fully immersed to read correctly.... but should be accurate enough for your purpose.......Or try

http://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk/

Regarding the broken connector. Someone should be able to make up a bit of steel tube with the smaller tube welded (or brazed) to it,. Something along those lines perhaps.

Mike

ok, thanks! Fortunately my dad-in-law maintains the production machinery in factory and has all kinds of tools & materials for replacing broken pipes, pulleys, etc... the bleed connector should be a doddle

don't know why I didn't think of it before! He can also get hold of some seriously high current wiring too... which should be fantastic for wiring up the leisure battery... if this brick ever gets rolling again that is!

Post by **Grun** » 29 Apr 2008, 18:35

ambivert,
If you are getting bored with the same old routine, add a little spice to your life by trying it in a new position....

http://www.vanagonauts.com

Then go, engine, cooling system, bleeding the cooling system, the Contrarian (easy) method.

Mike

Post by **ambivert** » 29 Apr 2008, 22:26

Grun wrote:ambivert,
http://www.vanagonauts.com
Then go, engine, cooling system, bleeding the cooling system, the Contrarian (easy) method.

WOW... makes it sound so easy... might as well give it a try

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 29 Apr 2008, 22:26

No problem

Post by **Mocki** » 30 Apr 2008, 00:31

thats a late early water system , not a early early one......

Club 80-90 Forums

ARRRRGHHHH! - I broke it!!!

ARRRRGHHHH! - I broke it!!!

Re: ARRRRGHHHH! - I broke it!!!