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Bostig/Vanagon coolant capacity
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rwixom
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:30 pm    Post subject: Bostig/Vanagon coolant capacity Reply with quote

Does anyone who has done the Bostig conversion know what the coolant capacity is? For some reason I've had a very difficult time filling/burping the coolant system. I've put about 7000 miles on my Zetec motor and couldn't be happier minus my inability to get coolant in and all the air out. I just built a libby-bong that will attach to the fill tower, which might help, but I'd still like to know how much liquid I can expect to get in (or out when draining).

I'm not sure all the usual Vanagon tricks for burping the system will work with the Zetec, but if anyone has any brilliant hacks I'd be happy to learn of them.

Cheers,

Ryan
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LemonCove
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What version kit do you have? If you're pre coolant fill tower, you can add a bleeder to the hi spot in the coolant hose.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


If you've got the air out of that section of hose, maybe you can use something like this, to make your fill point the highest point in the system when filling.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


To fill coolant system, I use this piece of hose connected to my fill opening on my thermostat housing. I open the bleeder (just installed) on my rear coolant hose and fill until coolant flows out, then close the bleeder. I then open the radiator bleeder and fill until coolant flows out of that opening, then close. The hose at the fill point ensures I'm filling above the highest point in the system. No air pockets.

more details on my Group 19 here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/13VelosdeRemi/RadHoseInsulationAndBleeder#

Jed
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ShootingFish
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tell us more about the hose? And where did you get the bleeder for the section above the exhaust???


LemonCove wrote:
What version kit do you have? If you're pre coolant fill tower, you can add a bleeder to the hi spot in the coolant hose.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


If you've got the air out of that section of hose, maybe you can use something like this, to make your fill point the highest point in the system when filling.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


To fill coolant system, I use this piece of hose connected to my fill opening on my thermostat housing. I open the bleeder (just installed) on my rear coolant hose and fill until coolant flows out, then close the bleeder. I then open the radiator bleeder and fill until coolant flows out of that opening, then close. The hose at the fill point ensures I'm filling above the highest point in the system. No air pockets.

more details on my Group 19 here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/13VelosdeRemi/RadHoseInsulationAndBleeder#

Jed

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rwixom
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. I really like that drain. I'd like to put something like that just at the low point under the radiator. I built a bong/pipe for the fill tower (my version has the fill tower), so I'll see how that works out today. Still, I'd like to know the volume of the system, especially if it is a significant change from the ~4.5 gallons of original WBX.
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insyncro
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The volume of the cooling system is very close to what it was with the WBX, providing you keep the rear heater in the loop.
Many remove it and the only Bostig I have any issues bleeding had the loop removed.
The issues were very small and I found that squeezing the large hoses in the engine bay with the engine off after reaching operating temp helped flush out the air bubbles.
The Bostig setup self bleeds just like the original system once you get about 90% of the air out of the system.

If it is not self bleeding, something is not right, look for kinked hoses.
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LemonCove
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ShootingFish wrote:
Tell us more about the hose? And where did you get the bleeder for the section above the exhaust???

I detail it on the picasa site I listed..

Insulation that I added to my Bostig Group 19 long coolant hose from the water pump to the Tee:
(Heat Shield Products HP Hose Sleeves 240003)(got mine from Summit $22)
Because of the deformation of the plastic loom I originally had on there, I figured some insulation would be a good idea (and I like the way it looks).

Hose Adapter that I used as a bleeder port on the high point of the long hose:
(Auto Meter Radiator Hose Adapters 2283) (also from Summit $47).
I managed to purge air without it, this just makes it easier and is engine compartment "jewelry."

Ryan- Surprised that you have an issue since you have the coolant fill tower (I don't have the tower, so went with the added bleeder) . . . . using the hose to elevate my fill point makes a difference. You still need to get the air out of the heater lines as Insyncro pointed out. Bostig directions cover that.

Jed
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rwixom
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Turns out that after fixing the rear heater loop so that it isn't kinked and hooking the radiator up in the correct direction, it really wasn't that difficult. I did drill a hole in my radiator bleeder bolt (as seen elsewhere on The Samba), and I used a riser pipe for the initial fill. It took a few rounds of running the engine until it pulled in the coolant, then refill at the tower, and repeat. But, it was quite easy after all.
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Franagon
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 12:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Bostig/Vanagon coolant capacity Reply with quote

Hey Gang,

I thought I would ping this thread with this question(s):

A lot of good information here. I just had my first start (RG6 with the coolant fill tower).

More importantly, how the heck do you add, bleed the coolant system? I had a good method with the WBX with Libby Bong, with bleeder open in the front while running, and that seemed to work well. Bostig does not mention that. I don't see any other way to get water to run up hill Confused The snag I noticed, if using this technique, is the fill tower is eclipsed by the engine compartment opening. I was thinking of making a spacer, to space this out from the passenger side for this reason. I did some searching, but could not find much. Do you happen to have a picture of the 'bong' you used over your fill tower? Maybe I have to look at it again. I may ping the RG6 thread as well. Thanks again all, Fran
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LemonCove
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 4:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Bostig/Vanagon coolant capacity Reply with quote

Franagon wrote:
the fill tower is eclipsed by the engine compartment opening.


"eclipsed" . . . . I like that . . . understand what you're saying.

I expect someone with the same fill tower has a good suggestion/solution.

I just put in a new radiator, so I again used the same method as described above. The key is to that method is to get the fluid level at the engine higher than the rad bleeder. I've heard of folks parking on a slope to accomplish this.

The inside diameter of the fill tower where the rad cap attaches would be the same as mine, so you if you wanted, you could probably make something using a rad hose as the connecting piece to the cooling system, then maybe use some PVC elbows and pipe? (The wide end of VW rad hose is what fits snugly in my fill tower).
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Franagon
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 6:12 am    Post subject: Re: Bostig/Vanagon coolant capacity Reply with quote

Thanks LemonCove! I was experimenting with that very thing last night. I might go as far as have an aluminum adaptor made that will accept a standard o ring to fit on the internal surface. Not a complex part to make, and would be really slick to just pop in, add and bleed. I just bought the parts to create the exhaust set up like you have. I have minor alterations that I will share if they turn out the way I want. I feel like I am getting near the end, getting anxious to drive it and then continue to work on the other list of items I want to do. I just hate having my 'bus' down. At least here it is blazing hot summer, and I get my use Fall/Winter/Spring. Thanks again, we seem to be on the same page. Fran
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