stupid rabbit

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:05 am

having a little problem with the rabbit.
i'm walking out to the rabbit after work yesterday and i see a long stream of water running 3 parking spots down. i'm thinking to myself "please don't be from my car, please don't be from my car" but it is from mine. so i pop the hood and it looks like it's coming from the head, theres water sitting on the headgasket... i just changed that!!!
i'm hoping it's coming from the water inlet or from the two hoses. god i hope it's that, i don't want to take the head off again!
so i'm going out in the morning and start tearing it down to see if i can't find the problem.... wish me luck.

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:58 am

That much leakage probably isn't from the head gasket. It'll be ok, breathe deep and take your time, I hate when repairs go bad.

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 10:14 am

That much leakage probably isn't from the head gasket

thats what i was thinking too. i just freaked out when i seen it!

PDX Cabby · Post by **PDX Cabby** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 11:36 am

as mentioned not from the head gasket
the car wouldn't run if it were that bad
most likely one of the 2 flanges. just clean, re-oring, and a lil aircraft sealant should take care of that

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:18 pm

Sometimes the plastic flanges develop real small cracks that only open up when they are hot and under pressure. The flanges are cheap enough ($6.00-$15.00) that if you are close to a dealer or a good parts store you could just replace them. PDX is right though, in a pinch you can seal them with a good sealant like Ultra-copper. My experience with Vanagons has taught me that over time and typically if the vehicle has been overheated, the plastic detioriates and actually gets eaten away. VW has addressed a couple of these flanges by replacing them with metal.

Post by **Calimus** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 1:11 am

best way to find out if it was the head gasket, fire up the car. If it was leaking that bad, the car should have blown white smoke like no tomorrow. Chances are, as mentioned, it's prollie the flange or a small tear in one of the hoses.

Trace it down, you'll find it.

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 8:18 pm

well, i found my leak.
it seems the dumbass who changed the headgasket didn't get one of the hoses tight enough. it was just loose enough to leak out of the back side of the hose VERY slowly, in a spot i couldn't see. anyway, i got her nice and tight now. drove her around all day and no leaks.

wait a minute... i'm the one that changed the headgasket!

Post by **Calimus** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 1:27 am

You gotta love the moments where you find a problem and are all like "What stupid, moronic Son of a....Wait a sec, I did that. Damnit"

Glad you found the problem and that it wasn't major.

Did some work on the wifes cabby today, still haven't solved the major issue, but she's running even stronger now. but still has a bit of a miss. Hopefully, I'll figure that problem out before too much longer. However, she's got really nice clean injectors now with new o-rings.

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:26 am

today i replaced the air cleaner and fuel filter, filled the fuel filter with ATF and let her run. feels like it has more pep now, and that always a good thing!

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 10:01 am

That's a new one on me. What does the ATF do besides smoke the neighborhood? We used to use a cap of water to pour down the intake and burn the carbon off the back of intake valves. Mystery oil for upper intake lube (valve guides) Does the ATF lubricate/clean the nozzle assy.?

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 10:56 am

Does the ATF lubricate/clean the nozzle assy.?

yup, thats what it does... plus smoke up the neighborhood!

that was the fun part.

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:29 pm

Cool, I love learning new tricks. Thanks for the tip!

Post by **Calimus** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:40 pm

Most autoparts stores now cary a product called seafoam as well. This stuff will really smoke up the "hood" it's kinda like Mystery oil in the sence that you can add it to everything pretty much. Just thought I'd contribute to the pollution info a bit. Nothing like making everyone around you think that you blew something up in the garage.

Oh yea, do it outside the garage. Not that the fumes are all that bad, you just can't see where you are going and might walk into an engine hoist or press or something else that happens to be in the way.

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:12 am

We used to use ATF in the Subaru dealership to catch a little break in the summer. Things would get real hot in the garage and you just pour a cap full down the intake and everybody would have to go outside till the smoke cleared. Works great until the service manager catches on.