coolant hose

1
Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca.

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)


2
A replacement for the plastic pipes may be available locally with free delivery.

Try here;

http://www.justkampersaustralia.com/shop/water-pipe-feed-return-stainless-steel-j15347.html

Give them a call.

The rubber bits are still available.

Phill



> Francesca Coles <fcoles6@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi there,
>
> I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and
> coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it
> has
> come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run
> to
> and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other
> options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into
> locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem
> to
> have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van
> Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might
> give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from
> personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option,
> can
> anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?
>
> Thanks a lot,
>
> Francesca.
>
> (Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)
3
Greetings,
 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
 
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
 
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
 
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
 
 
or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
 
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
 
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
 
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
 
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
 
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
 
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

Hi there,


I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca. 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)


4
Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

Greetings,
As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
or *any* plastic cooling system parts. Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though.
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van.
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it - those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant.
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all. And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

Hi there,


I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca.

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)



5
plus suspension springs and shock absorbers
bob dale
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 7:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

A replacement for the plastic pipes may be available locally with free delivery.

Try here;

http://www.justkampersaustralia.com/shop/water-pipe-feed-return-stainless-steel-j15347.html

Give them a call.

The rubber bits are still available.

Phill

> Francesca Coles <fcoles6@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi there,
>
> I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and
> coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it
> has
> come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run
> to
> and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other
> options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into
> locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem
> to
> have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van
> Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might
> give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from
> personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option,
> can
> anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?
>
> Thanks a lot,
>
> Francesca.
>
> (Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)

6
All,

For an informative 3 page read about coolant hose issues and associated components, goto pages 43-44-45 of: http://www.mackayrubber.com.au/DigitalCat/hose/hose/index.html . 

Cheers.
Ken
7
Francesca,

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=


There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

Cheers.

Ken







To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
 

Greetings,
 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
 
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
 
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
 
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
 
 
or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
 
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
 
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
 
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
 
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
 
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
 
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca. 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)







8
Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
 
The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes out, cleaned it all up, 
 
warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than drilling 4 holes on the 
 
diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per end, one of them
 
right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
 
The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry.  After Ken, i'm in the market for disused plastic pipes also......
 
OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in Oz.............. Hart

 
To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
From: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Francesca,

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=


There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

Cheers.

Ken







To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
 

Greetings,
 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
 
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
 
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
 
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
 
 
or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
 
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
 
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
 
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
 
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
 
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
 
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca. 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)








9

Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!

On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:

Hi Francesca, Ken, All,

The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes out, cleaned it all up,

warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than drilling 4 holes on the

diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per end, one of them

right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.

The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry. After Ken, i'm in the market for disused plastic pipes also......

OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in Oz.............. Hart


To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
From: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose


Francesca,

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=


There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

Cheers.

Ken







To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

Greetings,
As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
or *any* plastic cooling system parts. Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though.
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van.
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it - those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant.
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all. And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca.

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)









10

Hi Francesca,

 

Over the years that I had my T3 Syncro, I got by for a long time by just double clamping the hoses where they joined the plastic pipes. If I remember, there was one clamp over the metal insert where it had slipped out a bit and one over the plastic end where the insert was still in. This also stopped the insert slipping any further. I eventually replaced them when they were still available, but only because other coolant stuff had let go, so I thought I'd do the lot. (It was through Lloyd, I think he said they were his last stock then. Would have been about 2004/5).

 

This may have distracted you from the gas conversion research you were doing earlier, but you may want to speak to Pros Amerena at Enhanced Gasworks/Enhanced Motor Works (phone 9486 8444)  here in Fairfield. Quite handy to you, and he used to do my gas tuning on the T3 (Lloyd did everything else, but Pros was better on the gas). He does most of my work on my old Porsches, and I've found him quite good.

 

Brian Reed.

 

 

 

From: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Francesca Coles
Sent: Wednesday, 4 May 2011 3:14 PM
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

 


Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!

On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:

 

Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
 
The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes out, cleaned it all up, 
 
warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than drilling 4 holes on the 
 
diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per end, one of them
 
right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
 
The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry.  After Ken, i'm in the market for disused plastic pipes also......
 
OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in Oz.............. Hart

 

To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
From: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose



 

Francesca,

 

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

 

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=

 

 

There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

 

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

 

Cheers.

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

 

Regards,

 

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

 

 

Greetings,

 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.

( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .

 

the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.

'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.

Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.

GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.

 

'the hoses' themselves..

actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.

take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.

 

generally ..

in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.

 

 

or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.

Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 

 

I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.

Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .

 

the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.

It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.

And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..

should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 

 

there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...

early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.

Later ones are metal and are not a problem.

I have seen upon a few occasions.....

the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.

I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..

hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.

Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 

Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.

 

and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..

you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.

 

I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.

And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..

generally, those are better for sure.

 

what fun these vehicles are.

Scott

 

 

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM

Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

 

Hi there,

 

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

 

Thanks a lot,

 

Francesca. 

 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11
Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd?  Greg E

From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@gmail.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 


Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!

On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:
 

Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
 
The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes out, cleaned it all up, 
 
warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than drilling 4 holes on the 
 
diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per end, one of them
 
right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
 
The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry.  After Ken, i'm in the market for disused plastic pipes also......
 
OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in Oz.............. Hart

 

To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
From: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose


 
Francesca,

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=


There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

Cheers.

Ken







To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
 

Greetings,
 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
 
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
 
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
 
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
 
 
or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
 
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
 
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
 
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
 
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
 
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
 
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca. 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)









12
Also Van Cafe has a special price just for you. Greg E

From: greg esposito <gregespo73@yahoo.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:43:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd?  Greg E

From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@gmail.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 


Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!

On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:
 

Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
 
The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes out, cleaned it all up, 
 
warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than drilling 4 holes on the 
 
diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per end, one of them
 
right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
 
The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry.  After Ken, i'm in the market for disused plastic pipes also......
 
OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in Oz.............. Hart

 

To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
From: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose


 
Francesca,

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=


There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

Cheers.

Ken







To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
 

Greetings,
 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
 
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
 
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
 
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
 
 
or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
 
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
 
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
 
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
 
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
 
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
 
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca. 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)









13
Greg,the reason that the coolant hoses(pipes) have different part numbers is because thet are different 2wd and awd.They have different bends.I have made them in steel for both.(and still have the old plastic hoses,incase I need to make more,so I dont need to pull them out to get the right bends).
I made them in steel,then painted the outside of them with killrust.I would stay away from S/S,there is some opinions that it will rot you radiator.
BenC

--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, greg esposito <gregespo73@...> wrote:
>
> Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other
> suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd? Greg E
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@...>
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
>
> Â
>
> Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!
>
>
> On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@...> wrote:
>
> Â
> >Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
> >Â
> >The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom
> >bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes
> >out, cleaned it all up,Â
> >Â
> >warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the
> >plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than
> >drilling 4 holes on theÂ
> >Â
> >diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used
> >Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per
> >end, one of them
> >
> >Â
> >right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
> >Â
> >The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry. After Ken, i'm in
> >the market for disused plastic pipes also......
> >Â
> >OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could
> >be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in
> >Oz.............. Hart
> >
> >Â
> >
> ________________________________
> To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
> >From: unclekenz@...
> >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
> >Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >
> >
> >Â
> >Francesca,
> >
> >
> >Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end
> >joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to
> >leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one
> >leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure.
> >It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the
> >remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.
> >
> >Repair
> >kit:Â http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=
> >
> >
> >
> >Description of problem:Â http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=113
> >
> >
> >There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence
> >of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment
> >either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it
> >makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to
> >recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.
> >
> >
> >If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If
> >they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a
> >pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench
> >in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.
> >
> >
> >Cheers.
> >
> >
> >Ken
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >________________________________
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> >From: fcoles6@...
> >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
> >Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >
> >Â
> >Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I
> >will give Just Kampers a call.
> >
> >
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >
> >Francesca.
> >
> >
> >On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@...>
> wrote:
> >
> >Â
> >>
> >>
> >>Greetings,
> >>Â As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
> >>
> >>( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose
> >>sometimes ) .
> >>
> >>the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
> >>'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place,
> >>causing a leak.
> >>
> >>Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
> >>GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
> >>
> >>'the hoses' themselves..
> >>actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
> >>take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those
> >>get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of
> >>vanagons.
> >>
> >>
> >>generally ..
> >>in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with
> >>the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose (
> >>but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher
> >>up on the engine.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>or *any* plastic cooling system parts. Those ALL get brittle and break on T3
> >>vans eventually.
> >>Syncro's are not bad in that regard though.Â
> >>
> >>I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
> >>Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at
> >>least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core ,
> >>if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
> >>
> >>
> >>the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
> >>It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
> >>And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
> >>should always have a spare or two of those in the van.Â
> >>
> >>there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right
> >>of the dipstick some ...
> >>early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small
> >>hose nipple in it -Â those break.
> >>Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
> >>I have seen upon a few occasions.....
> >>the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of
> >>those split . Not fun to deal with either.
> >>
> >>I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
> >>hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
> >>Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant.Â
> >>Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good
> >>condition.
> >>
> >>
> >>and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so
> >>many you could hardly ever count them all. And if you trace the route of the
> >>heater hoses back there, under the van ..
> >>you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
> >>
> >>I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty
> >>good.
> >>
> >>And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
> >>generally, those are better for sure.
> >>
> >>what fun these vehicles are.
> >>Scott
> >>www.turbovans.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: Francesca Coles
> >>>To: Syncro_T3_Australia
> >>>Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
> >>>Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >>>
> >>>Â
> >>>Hi there,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant
> >>>hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our
> >>>attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the
> >>>radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think
> >>>Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available
> >>>replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the
> >>>stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a
> >>>rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace
> >>>of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the
> >>>locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers
> >>>relate to the bits I need, please?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Thanks a lot,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Francesca.Â
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
14
This seems to be JKs 2WD offering:

Also useful is a new replacement for the offside big pipe ... these rust through in places from the inside to the outside. Look for telltale blobs of surface rust:
Ken


To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: gregespo73@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 22:43:37 -0700
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd?  Greg E

From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@gmail.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 


Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!

On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:
 
Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
 
The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes out, cleaned it all up, 
 
warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than drilling 4 holes on the 
 
diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per end, one of them
 
right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
 
The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry.  After Ken, i'm in the market for disused plastic pipes also......
 
OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in Oz.............. Hart

 

To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
From: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose


 
Francesca,

Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure. It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.

Repair kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=


There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.

If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.

Cheers.

Ken







To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: fcoles6@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I will give Just Kampers a call.

Regards,

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
 

Greetings,
 As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose sometimes ) .
 
the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place, causing a leak.
Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
 
'the hoses' themselves..
actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of vanagons.
 
generally ..
in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose ( but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher up on the engine.
 
 
or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3 vans eventually.
Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
 
I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core , if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
 
the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
 
there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right of the dipstick some ...
early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small hose nipple in it -  those break.
Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
I have seen upon a few occasions.....
the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of those split . Not fun to deal with either.
I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good condition.
 
and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the heater hoses back there, under the van ..
you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
 
I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty good.
And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
generally, those are better for sure.
 
what fun these vehicles are.
Scott
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 
Hi there,

I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers relate to the bits I need, please?

Thanks a lot,

Francesca. 

(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)












15
Sorry all I read the jk blurb and thought  they only had one set for 2wd and 4wd. thanks Ken. Greg E

From: Ben <bencroft96@yahoo.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 6:54:15 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: coolant hose

 

Greg,the reason that the coolant hoses(pipes) have different part numbers is because thet are different 2wd and awd.They have different bends.I have made them in steel for both.(and still have the old plastic hoses,incase I need to make more,so I dont need to pull them out to get the right bends).
I made them in steel,then painted the outside of them with killrust.I would stay away from S/S,there is some opinions that it will rot you radiator.
BenC

--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, greg esposito <gregespo73@...> wrote:
>
> Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other
> suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd?  Greg E
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@...>
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
>
>  
>
> Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!
>
>
> On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@...> wrote:
>
>  
> >Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
> > 
> >The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom
> >bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes
> >out, cleaned it all up, 
> > 
> >warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the
> >plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than
> >drilling 4 holes on the 
> > 
> >diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then used
> >Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps per
> >end, one of them
> >
> > 
> >right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
> > 
> >The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry.  After Ken, i'm in
> >the market for disused plastic pipes also......
> > 
> >OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could
> >be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in
> >Oz.............. Hart
> >
> > 
> >
> ________________________________
> To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
> >From: unclekenz@...
> >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
> >Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >
> >
> > 
> >Francesca,
> >
> >
> >Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end
> >joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to
> >leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one
> >leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good measure.
> >It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept the
> >remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.
> >
> >Repair
> >kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=
> >
> >
> >
> >Description of problem: http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=113
> >
> >
> >There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the prudence
> >of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment
> >either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it
> >makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem to
> >recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.
> >
> >
> >If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes. If
> >they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a
> >pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my workbench
> >in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair solution.
> >
> >
> >Cheers.
> >
> >
> >Ken
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >________________________________
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> >From: fcoles6@...
> >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
> >Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >
> > 
> >Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I
> >will give Just Kampers a call.
> >
> >
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >
> >Francesca.
> >
> >
> >On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > 
> >>
> >>
> >>Greetings,
> >> As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of course.
> >>
> >>( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose
> >>sometimes ) .
> >>
> >>the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
> >>'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place,
> >>causing a leak.
> >>
> >>Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
> >>GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
> >>
> >>'the hoses' themselves..
> >>actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
> >>take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of those
> >>get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of
> >>vanagons.
> >>
> >>
> >>generally ..
> >>in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with
> >>the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose (
> >>but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are higher
> >>up on the engine.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>or *any* plastic cooling system parts.  Those ALL get brittle and break on T3
> >>vans eventually.
> >>Syncro's are not bad in that regard though. 
> >>
> >>I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
> >>Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left at
> >>least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core ,
> >>if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
> >>
> >>
> >>the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
> >>It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
> >>And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
> >>should always have a spare or two of those in the van. 
> >>
> >>there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the right
> >>of the dipstick some ...
> >>early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small
> >>hose nipple in it -  those break.
> >>Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
> >>I have seen upon a few occasions.....
> >>the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of
> >>those split . Not fun to deal with either.
> >>
> >>I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
> >>hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
> >>Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant. 
> >>Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in good
> >>condition.
> >>
> >>
> >>and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so
> >>many you could hardly ever count them all.  And if you trace the route of the
> >>heater hoses back there, under the van ..
> >>you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
> >>
> >>I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty
> >>good.
> >>
> >>And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
> >>generally, those are better for sure.
> >>
> >>what fun these vehicles are.
> >>Scott
> >>www.turbovans.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: Francesca Coles
> >>>To: Syncro_T3_Australia
> >>>Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
> >>>Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >>>
> >>> 
> >>>Hi there,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and coolant
> >>>hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to our
> >>>attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the
> >>>radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think
> >>>Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available
> >>>replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the
> >>>stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems a
> >>>rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term peace
> >>>of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the
> >>>locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part numbers
> >>>relate to the bits I need, please?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Thanks a lot,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Francesca. 
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

16
> Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:
>
> diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I
> then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe .
> Oz.............. Hart
>

I would have used genuine VW sealant.
17
I would also cut them in half and join with rubber hose for easy install.

--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, greg esposito <gregespo73@...> wrote:
>
> Sorry all I read the jk blurb and thought they only had one set for 2wd and
> 4wd. thanks Ken. Greg E
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Ben <bencroft96@...>
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 6:54:15 PM
> Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: coolant hose
>
> Â
> Greg,the reason that the coolant hoses(pipes) have different part numbers is
> because thet are different 2wd and awd.They have different bends.I have made
> them in steel for both.(and still have the old plastic hoses,incase I need to
> make more,so I dont need to pull them out to get the right bends).
> I made them in steel,then painted the outside of them with killrust.I would stay
> away from S/S,there is some opinions that it will rot you radiator.
> BenC
>
> --- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, greg esposito <gregespo73@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other
> > suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd? Greg E
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@>
> > To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >
> > ÂÂ
> >
> > Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!
> >
> >
> > On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@> wrote:
> >
> > ÂÂ
> > >Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
> > >ÂÂ
> > >The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom
>
> > >bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes
> >
> > >out, cleaned it all up,ÂÂ
> > >ÂÂ
> > >warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the
> > >plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than
> > >drilling 4 holes on theÂÂ
> > >ÂÂ
> > >diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then
> >used
> >
> > >Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps
> >per
> >
> > >end, one of them
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
> > >ÂÂ
> > >The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry. After Ken,
> >i'm in
> >
> > >the market for disused plastic pipes also......
> > >ÂÂ
> > >OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could
> >
> > >be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in
> > >Oz.............. Hart
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >
> > ________________________________
> > To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
> > >From: unclekenz@
> > >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
> > >Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> > >
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >Francesca,
> > >
> > >
> > >Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end
> > >joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to
> >
> > >leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one
> > >leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good
> >measure.
> >
> > >It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept
> >the
> >
> > >remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.
> > >
> > >Repair
> >>kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=
> >=
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Description of problem: http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=113
> > >
> > >
> > >There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the
> >prudence
> >
> > >of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment
> > >either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it
>
> > >makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem
> >to
> >
> > >recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.
> > >
> > >
> > >If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes.
> >If
> >
> > >they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a
> >
> > >pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my
> >workbench
> >
> > >in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair
> >solution.
> > >
> > >
> > >Cheers.
> > >
> > >
> > >Ken
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >________________________________
> > To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> > >From: fcoles6@
> > >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
> > >Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I
> >
> > >will give Just Kampers a call.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >
> > >
> > >Francesca.
> > >
> > >
> > >On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Greetings,
> > >> As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of
> >course.
> >
> > >>
> > >>( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose
> > >>sometimes ) .
> > >>
> > >>the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
> > >>'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place,
>
> > >>causing a leak.
> > >>
> > >>Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
> > >>GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
> > >>
> > >>'the hoses' themselves..
> > >>actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
> > >>take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of
> >those
> >
> > >>get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of
> > >>vanagons.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>generally ..
> > >>in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with
> >
> > >>the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose
> >(
> >
> > >>but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are
> >higher
> >
> > >>up on the engine.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>or *any* plastic cooling system parts. Those ALL get brittle and break on
> >T3
> >
> > >>vans eventually.
> > >>Syncro's are not bad in that regard though.ÂÂ
> > >>
> > >>I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
> > >>Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left
> >at
> >
> > >>least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core
> >,
> >
> > >>if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
> > >>It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
> > >>And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
> > >>should always have a spare or two of those in the van.ÂÂ
> > >>
> > >>there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the
> >right
> >
> > >>of the dipstick some ...
> > >>early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small
> >
> > >>hose nipple in it - those break.
> > >>Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
> > >>I have seen upon a few occasions.....
> > >>the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of
> > >>those split . Not fun to deal with either.
> > >>
> > >>I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
> > >>hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
> > >>Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant.ÂÂ
> > >>Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in
> >good
> >
> > >>condition.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so
>
> > >>many you could hardly ever count them all. And if you trace the route of
> >the
> >
> > >>heater hoses back there, under the van ..
> > >>you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
> > >>
> > >>I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty
>
> > >>good.
> > >>
> > >>And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
> > >>generally, those are better for sure.
> > >>
> > >>what fun these vehicles are.
> > >>Scott
> > >>www.turbovans.com
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>----- Original Message -----
> > >>>From: Francesca Coles
> > >>>To: Syncro_T3_Australia
> > >>>Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
> > >>>Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> > >>>
> > >>>ÂÂ
> > >>>Hi there,
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and
> >coolant
> >
> > >>>hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to
> >our
> >
> > >>>attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the
> > >>>radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think
> >
> > >>>Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available
> > >>>replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the
> > >>>stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems
> >a
> >
> > >>>rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term
> >peace
> >
> > >>>of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the
> > >>>locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part
> >numbers
> >
> > >>>relate to the bits I need, please?
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>Thanks a lot,
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>Francesca.ÂÂ
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
18
Thanks, all, for the advice. Yes, the gas conversion has just receded on the priority list. What a hassle these machines are!

Francesca.

On 4 May 2011 20:06, Ben <bencroft96@yahoo.com> wrote:

I would also cut them in half and join with rubber hose for easy install.



--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, greg esposito <gregespo73@...> wrote:
>
> Sorry all I read the jk blurb and thought they only had one set for 2wd and
> 4wd. thanks Ken. Greg E
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Ben <bencroft96@...>

> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 6:54:15 PM
> Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: coolant hose
>
> Â
> Greg,the reason that the coolant hoses(pipes) have different part numbers is
> because thet are different 2wd and awd.They have different bends.I have made
> them in steel for both.(and still have the old plastic hoses,incase I need to
> make more,so I dont need to pull them out to get the right bends).
> I made them in steel,then painted the outside of them with killrust.I would stay
> away from S/S,there is some opinions that it will rot you radiator.
> BenC
>
> --- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, greg esposito <gregespo73@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Francesca, the only thing I find odd about the jk ones is that all other
> > suppliers have different types for 2wd and 4wd? Greg E

> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Francesca Coles <fcoles6@>
> > To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Wed, 4 May, 2011 3:14:24 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> >
> > ÂÂ
> >
> > Thanks, Hart. Just wish Hart's garage was a wee bit closer!
> >
> >
> > On 4 May 2011 14:59, Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@> wrote:
> >
> > ÂÂ
> > >Hi Francesca, Ken, All,
> > >ÂÂ

> > >The Tristar i fixed with a go Westy Kit, it worked well. Next was the Telecom
>
> > >bus, here also all 4 ends needed attention. What i did here , i took the pipes
> >
> > >out, cleaned it all up,ÂÂ
> > >ÂÂ
> > >warmed the plastic pipes with a heat gun, and drove the metal ends into the
> > >plastic pipe. Next i checked where the screw clamp would be located , than
> > >drilling 4 holes on theÂÂ
> > >ÂÂ

> > >diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I then
> >used
> >
> > >Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe . I used 2 screw clamps
> >per
> >
> > >end, one of them
> > >
> > >ÂÂ

> > >right over the rivets and one next to it. It just can't leak and it hasn't.
> > >ÂÂ
> > >The Trakka received the identical treatment, it also is dry. After Ken,
> >i'm in
> >
> > >the market for disused plastic pipes also......
> > >ÂÂ

> > >OK com'on let me know that this approach is unprofessionel , however, it could
> >
> > >be done in the middle of nowhere and we are not short of those in
> > >Oz.............. Hart
> > >
> > >ÂÂ

> > >
> > ________________________________
> > To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
> > >From: unclekenz@
> > >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 12:19:50 +1000
> > >Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> > >
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >Francesca,
> > >
> > >
> > >Is it leaking at just one or is it more than one leaking plastic pipe end
> > >joint? I discovered just one plastic pipe end joint (of the four) starting to
> >
> > >leak in early 2008, so I bought the GoWesty kit and repaired just that one
> > >leaking joint, plus added to it an extra (screw up) joint clip for good
> >measure.
> >
> > >It hasn't leaked since, nor have the other joints started leaking. I've kept
> >the
> >
> > >remaining unused components of the GoWesty kit for future use.
> > >
> > >Repair
> >>kit: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3643&category_id=&category_parent_id=
> >=
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Description of problem: http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=113

> > >
> > >
> > >There has been in the past some discussion here and elsewhere as to the
> >prudence
> >
> > >of adding more metals (dissimilar) to the coolant system. I have no comment
> > >either way on that other than to say if this matter has any validity, then it
>
> > >makes sense to me as to why the pipes were (changed back to) plastic. I seem
> >to
> >
> > >recall the very early T3's had metal pipes.
> > >
> > >
> > >If you go the replacement S/S route, please don't junk the two plastic pipes.
> >If
> >
> > >they have failed at only one or more pipe ends, then I'd love to obtain such a
> >
> > >pair, if only because I'm curious enough to experiment with them on my
> >workbench
> >
> > >in a quest to find a home-made practical/economical/convenient repair
> >solution.
> > >
> > >
> > >Cheers.
> > >
> > >
> > >Ken
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >________________________________
> > To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> > >From: fcoles6@
> > >Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:42:37 +1000
> > >Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >Thanks Scott and Phill. Lots of info there. Only 15 weak spots, eh?? I think I
> >
> > >will give Just Kampers a call.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >
> > >
> > >Francesca.
> > >
> > >
> > >On 4 May 2011 08:10, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <ScottDaniel@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >ÂÂ
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Greetings,
> > >> As built originally, there are no long hoses from engine to radiator of
> >course.
> >
> > >>
> > >>( though some people replace those with long runs of marine coolant hose
> > >>sometimes ) .
> > >>
> > >>the original main pipes are plastic, with metal insert ends.
> > >>'the' weakness about these is that the metal insert ends slide out of place,
>
> > >>causing a leak.
> > >>
> > >>Two pipes, makes 4 spots this failure can happen.
> > >>GW sells a repair kit I believe, haven't ever tried one myself.
> > >>
> > >>'the hoses' themselves..
> > >>actually VW T3 vans have just excellent hoses on them.
> > >>take the two at the front, going to the radiator, I have never seen one of
> >those
> >
> > >>get tired, or weak, or fail, in any way, ever, on hundreds and hundreds of
> > >>vanagons.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>generally ..
> > >>in automotive coolant hoses, the ones that fail the easiest are the ones with
> >
> > >>the most heat in them ..which means, in normal cars, the upper radiator hose
> >(
> >
> > >>but not in T3 vans ) So watch for hoses that get the most heat, and are
> >higher
> >
> > >>up on the engine.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>or *any* plastic cooling system parts. Those ALL get brittle and break on
> >T3
> >
> > >>vans eventually.
> > >>Syncro's are not bad in that regard though.ÂÂ

> > >>
> > >>I have seen a small oil cooler hose split and leak.
> > >>Rear heater cores are notorious for leaking ( the valve on it should be left
> >at
> >
> > >>least half 'on' all year, so fresh coolant flows through the rear heater core
> >,
> >
> > >>if you have one, that helps it last longer ) .
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>the coolant pressure bottle ..those are well known for failing eventually.
> > >>It's always a good idea to get as 'OE' grade of one of those you can find.
> > >>And the pressure cap that goes on that bottle..
> > >>should always have a spare or two of those in the van.ÂÂ
> > >>
> > >>there is a small bleed hose coming off the right side of the block, to the
> >right
> >
> > >>of the dipstick some ...
> > >>early ones may be plastic , the part screwed to the engine block with a small
> >
> > >>hose nipple in it - those break.

> > >>Later ones are metal and are not a problem.
> > >>I have seen upon a few occasions.....
> > >>the hose in the pipe that goes below the crankshaft pulley ...seen a few of
> > >>those split . Not fun to deal with either.
> > >>
> > >>I've also seen desperate corrosion on the aluminum thermostat housing ..
> > >>hopefully you don't have anything like that going on.
> > >>Not to mention badly pitted cylinder heads from not changing coolant.ÂÂ
> > >>Aluminum can deteriorate very 'nicely' if the coolant/a-frz isn't kept in
> >good
> >
> > >>condition.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>and the sheer number of 'cooling system parts' in a Syncro T3 ..there are so
>
> > >>many you could hardly ever count them all. And if you trace the route of
> >the
> >
> > >>heater hoses back there, under the van ..
> > >>you wonder what on earth they were not thinking when they built that.
> > >>
> > >>I'd say there are perhaps 15 chronic weak spots , and the rest is all pretty
>
> > >>good.
> > >>
> > >>And two section stainless main coolant pipes ..
> > >>generally, those are better for sure.
> > >>
> > >>what fun these vehicles are.
> > >>Scott
> > >>www.turbovans.com
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>----- Original Message -----
> > >>>From: Francesca Coles
> > >>>To: Syncro_T3_Australia
> > >>>Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 1:51 PM
> > >>>Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose
> > >>>
> > >>>ÂÂ
> > >>>Hi there,
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>I seem to remember a bit of a thread about preventive maintenance and
> >coolant
> >
> > >>>hoses, one of the Achilles heels of our beasts.... Anyway, it has come to
> >our
> >
> > >>>attention that we need to replace the long hoses which run to and from the
> > >>>radiator. I know these are NLA, and I am looking into other options. I think
> >
> > >>>Roger Bayley and Ken did some impressive research into locally available
> > >>>replacement parts a while back. Also, some people seem to have gone the
> > >>>stainless steel pipe replacement route, via GoWesty or Van Cafe. This seems
> >a
> >
> > >>>rather expensive option, including postage, but might give one long-term
> >peace
> >
> > >>>of mind. Who would recommend this option from personal experience? For the
> > >>>locally available plastic/rubber option, can anyone tell me which part
> >numbers
> >
> > >>>relate to the bits I need, please?
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>Thanks a lot,
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>Francesca.ÂÂ

> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>(Syncro taking a vacation while I hunt parts, but bicycle running well.)
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>


19
exept you wouldn't have done it like this in the first place..........hart
 
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: plander@optusnet.com.au
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 20:06:00 +1000
Subject: Re: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose

 

> Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au> wrote:
>
> diameter 3.2 mm dia. and used 4 s/s pop rivets to fix the metal end. I
> then used Sikaflex to cover the pops on the inside of the pipe .
> Oz.............. Hart
>

I would have used genuine VW sealant.

20
Hartmut,
I'd like to make a riverside appointment please for (amongst other things haha) your coolant pipes TLC remedy procedure. I happily concede you've beaten me to the punch for a workable solution!
By way of bartering, I'd be happy to mow the lawn on the JD and lower the 3 seater lounge from the mezzanine floor!
Cheers.
Ken


-----Original Message-----
From: Hartmut Kiehn <hartis@live.com.au>
Sent: Wednesday, 4 May 2011 2:59 PM
To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] coolant hose



[The entire original message is not included]