[Vwdiesel] Foamy expansion tank but no big pressure issues??

Fri May 6 23:05:11 PDT 2011

I bought one at NAPA last week.  The part number was 700-1006.  It will test gas and diesel engines.  The instructions say that with gas engines the fluid will turn yellow, with diesel engines it will turn green if there are combustion gasses present at test-time.  The color change was very evident on my friend's Jetta.

Funnily, one of the salesmen tried to tell me that the "block tester kit" was something you added to the engine oil and then could use a black light to find a leak.  He wasn't the one helping me.

Dave Cook

--- On Fri, 5/6/11, Will Taygan <william at taygan.com> wrote:

> From: Will Taygan <william at taygan.com>
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Foamy expansion tank but no big pressure issues??
> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Date: Friday, May 6, 2011, 9:19 PM
> Ah, yes.  Thanks folks for the
> reminders.  I've got a compression
> tester.  I'll check it out tonight.  I'm calling
> NAPA now to get a
> exhuast gas tester.  If they don't have a
> diesel-compatible one I'll be
> ordering from Amazon.
> 
> Foam is not oily, but bubbly.
> 
> The expansion tank is just below the front (injector side)
> outlet from
> the head (engine cocked at stock 50degrees, so that's the
> high point), I
> think I'm getting a big bubble collecting in the bend on
> that hose.  In
> addition, it's physically impossible to mount the reservoir
> any higher.
> So, when I first rev the engine, all those bubbles clear to
> the
> expansion tank. (that hose is also circulating through the
> oil cooler
> and radiator, but the thermostat is closed, so it's hitting
> the
> expansion tank or the oil cooler).  Big bubbles at
> first (straight to
> tank, followed by foam (oil cooler to water pump?)
> 
> I'm not getting air in the radiator which is the high point
> of the whole
> system, but coolant has to flow down then back up to get
> there,
> obviously only flowing when it's hot, hmmmm - no bubbles
> when hot??
> I'll double check this.
> 
> I'd be willing to slap another head on there, but I'd feel
> silly
> spending the time and $$ if there's another cause.
> 
> Oh yeah, ARP studs, head torqued to 90ft/lbs at 100 and
> 1000 miles.
> 
> It SEEMS to me, that if things were pressurizing, the air
> collecting at
> the top of the expansion tank should be blowing off into
> the overflow
> tank.  But really, there's a little pressure, but not
> like the
> catastrophic leaks I've had before.
> 
> I've got to add an inch of coolant every 100 miles.
> 
> Things run pretty well, just a puff and a little roughness
> at 27F this
> morning.  Seems to be burning/leaking/dipstick pushing
> out a tiny bit
> more oil than I'd like, but it's only got 1000miles and I'm
> hoping that
> will clear up.
> 
> 
> Will.
> 
> On Fri, 2011-05-06 at 21:02 +0000, Travis Gottschalk
> wrote:
> > Have you checked cylinder pressures? Is there any
> white smoke at start up or running? 
> >  
> > > From: vwdiesel-request at vwfans.com
> > > Subject: Vwdiesel Digest, Vol 91, Issue 5
> > > To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > Date: Fri, 6 May 2011 12:00:02 -0700
> > > 
> > > Send Vwdiesel mailing list submissions to
> > > vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > 
> > > I've got 1000 miles on this completely rebuilt
> 1.6NA in '82 Westy #2,
> > > and I'm trying to figure out what's going on. PO
> blew his engine
> > > because the coolant leaked out from "somewhere."
> I replaced all the
> > > hoses, but not the steel lines, radiator and
> heater core.
> > > 
> > > Radiator stays topped off with coolant, it'll
> push out a little if I
> > > open the bleeder valve right when I start the
> van.
> > > 
> > > The coolant reservoir gets a little bit low while
> driving even 20 miles
> > > or so, and it's not pulling fresh coolant from
> the overflow tank.
> > > 
> > > I put a pressure tester on the system, and didn't
> see any pressure
> > > buildup in 3 mins (well, when I revved it and it
> started heating up I
> > > saw the pressure drop on revs and go up when let
> back to idle).
> > > 
> > > There are obvious bubbles/foam coming from the
> octopus hose to the
> > > expansion tank.
> > > 
> > > I always assume this is a head gasket issue, but
> dang, it's not
> > > overheating (drove it 75 miles today), and it's
> not having pressure
> > > issues.
> > > 
> > > I don't see any obvious leaks when pressure
> testing the system, although
> > > it does drop a teeny tiny bit (maybe 1 psi over 2
> mins?)
> > > 
> > > I need the van to be reliable to travel remotely
> with small children
> > > this summer, pulling the head isn't a huge job -
> more of an issue is
> > > that my rebuilder's on vacation. Furthermore, I'd
> rather get the rings
> > > all broken in before I open this thing up again.
> > > 
> > > Any other possibilities/experiences that WEREN'T
> a blown head gasket??
> > > 
> > > Thanks,
> > > 
> > > Will in Alaska.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ------------------------------
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > > 
> > > 
> > > End of Vwdiesel Digest, Vol 91, Issue 5
> > > ***************************************
> >     
>         
>           
>   
> > _______________________________________________
> > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> 