1990 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER engine coolant

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VEHICLE OPERATION

OPERATE
YOUR VEHICLE SAFELY

A
lot has gone
into
the manufacture of your Volkswagen, including advanced engineering techniques, rigid quality
control and demanding inspections.

These
engineering and safety features will be enhanced by you, the safe driver,
• who knows the vehicle and all controls
• who maintains the vehicle properly
• who uses driving skills wisely.

For
your own safety as well as
that
of
those around you - be a responsible
driver. If you
drink,
do not
drive.
The use
of alcohol, drugs and certain medications
will seriously impair perception, reactions and driving ability, substantially increasing
the risk of an accident and personal
injury.
Do not
drive
if you are
tired,
ill or
under

emotional
stress.
The
following
points
are also
important
for
your
safety,
please
observe
them

all.
First
things
first...

• Turn the engine off before performing
any checks or repairs on the vehicle.
• Be sure tires are inflated correctly.

Check
for damage and
tire
wear.
• See
that
wheel bolts or nuts are pro­
perly tightened and not loose or missing.
• Check engine oil level, add if neces­

sary.
Make it a habit to have engine oil

checked
with
every fuel filling.
• Check coolant level to assure sufficient
engine cooling.
• Be sure you have a well charged
battery.
• Check brake fluid level. If too low, have
brake system checked.
• Replenish windshield washer fluid.
• Replace worn or cracked wiper blades.
• See
that
all windows are clear and un­
obstructed.
• Check whether all
light
lenses are

clean.
• Be sure all lights are working and head­
lights are aimed correctly.
• Check under vehicle for leaks.
• Make sure the movement of either

brake,
clutch or accelerator pedal is not hampered in any way.
• Be sure all luggage is stored securely.

You'll
find helpful hints on how to perform most of these checks in this manual. If in
doubt, have these checks performed by
your dealer or any other qualified
mechanic.

Emergency
equipment

It is good practice to carry emergency
equipment in your vehicle. Some of the
things you should have are: emergency
light,
first-aid kit, small shovel, and for the
winter
season,
an ice scraper, snow brush,
a
container or bag of sand or salt, etc.
70


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iLER TOWING
VEHICLE OPERATION
phLT .'jlkswagen was primarily designed
pr : assenger transportation. If you plan to
m*
B.
trailer you should be mindful that

MLT
:ar will be performing a service it was
•cr "tended for. The additional load will
Wee durability and economy of per-
m~ ance. • :. :ow a trailer, your Volkswagen may
mc. -9 more frequent maintenance due to
ft* extra
load.

Gc not tow a trailer during the break-in kriod of your vehicle.
Keep an eye on your coolant tempera-
fere gauge. If coolant temperature warn- rc light comes on pull off the road to a sa's place to allow engine to cool down.
Maximum trailer weight
A vailer for your vehicle is limited to a
typi-

ca class I trailer. The maximum gross
Bier weight and the tongue load must not
eoeed the specifications listed in the
[fechnical Information/Data section of this
ranual.

Do not exceed the gross vehicle weight
•rhich is the weight of the driver, passen­ ger, luggage, trailer hitch and tongue
weight of the loaded trailer. Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to
the gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and trailer and
securely bolted to the body. Always check
with the trailer hitch manufacturer to make
sure that you are using the correct hitch. Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in a way not to interfere with the impact-absorbing
bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake
systems. From time to time check that all hitch mounting bolts remain securely fas­

tened.

If not towing a trailer for a long period of

time,
remove the trailer hitch. This pre­
vents the hitch from causing damage should your vehicle be struck from behind.
When removing the trailer hitch, seal all bolt holes to prevent water and exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle.
Trailer brakes If your trailer is equipped with a braking

system,
check to be sure that it conforms
to all regulations.
The trailer brake system must not be di­ rectly connected to the vehicle's brake sys­

tem.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of
your vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed on the label on the left front door jamb. In­
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac­
turer's specifications.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your car and trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Do not connect the trailer light system directly
to the light system of your vehicle. Be sure
to check with your Volkswagen dealer for
correct wiring, switches and relays.
Before you tow a trailer
Correct and even load distribution. All ob­
jects inside the trailer should be held securely in place to guard against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger in a moving
trailer.


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AINTENANCE
VEHICLE CARE

Ibur
vehicle has been designed to help «eep maintenance requirements to a mini--jm. However, a certain amount of regu­
lar maintenance is still necessary to as­ s-re your vehicle's safety, economy and re- ability.

Maintenance
Service is
required
every

12
months
or
every
15,000
miles
(24,000

kilometers),
whichever occurs
first.

I addition, it is necessary to perform an oil

nange
6 months after each Maintenance

Service,
or after each 7,500 miles (12,000
•: (ometers) whichever occurs
first.

"he
first
oil change must be performed 6 ~ionths after the delivery of the vehicle or
after 7,500 miles (12,000 kilometers).
Under
difficult
operating
conditions, for

example
at extreme low outside tempera­
tures or in very dusty regions, etc., some
service
work should be performed bet­
ween the intervals specified.

This
applies particularly to: • oil changes, and
• cleaning or replacing the air
filter.

The
maintenance work should be per­ formed by Volkswagen dealers because
they have the expertise, the workshop facilities and the special tools required. It is important
that
this work is per­
formed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Proof
of servicing in accordance
with
the
maintenance schedule may be a condition
for upholding a possible warranty claim
made
within the warranty period.
Safety
and
environmental
concerns

place
very strict limits on the nature of re­

pairs
and adjustment on engine and trans­
mission
parts which an owner can per­
form.
Tampering
with
safety-related
parts
can
endanger
you as
well
as
other

motorists.

Always
observe environmental regula­ tions when disposing of old engine oil,
used
brake fluid,
dirty
engine coolant,
spent batteries or worn out tires.

95


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VEHICLE
CARE

COOLING
SYSTEM
The cooling system
is
sealed and gener­ ally requires little attention.
The cooling system has been filled at the factory with
a
permanent coolant which
does not need to be changed. The coolant

consists
of a
mixture
of
water
and the
manufacturer's coolant additive
G 11 —

antifreeze
on
glycol basis with anticorro-
sion additives (40% for USA
models;
50%
for Canadian models).
This
mixture
assures
the
necessary frost protection
and protects
the
entire cooling system
against corrosion and
scaling,
and raises
the boiling point of the coolant.
Do
not
reduce
the
concentration
of the

coolant
in the
summer
by
adding plain
water.
The coolant additive proportion
must
be at least
40%
but not more than

60%,
to
maintain the antifreeze protection
and the cooling efficiency. For year round driving, antifreeze is added
at the factory for temperatures down to:

-13°
F/-25°C(USA)

-40°
F/-40°
C
(Canada)

Only
use
quality phosphate-free
anti­

freeze containing ethylene glycol. Such antifreeze
is
available at
your
Volkswagen

dealer.

WARNING Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store antifreeze in its original container and

well
out of the reach of children. If you drain
the
coolant,
it must
be
caught
and

safely stored. Drained coolant should normally not be reused. Always des-

pose
of used coolant observing all en­
vironmental regulations.
Coolant losses
Coolant losses may indicate
a
leak in
the

cooling
system.
In
this
case,
the
cooling
system should
be
inspected immediately by
your
Volkswagen dealer.
It is not
suffi­

cient merely to add coolant.

In a
sealed system, losses can only occur
if
the
boiling point
of the
coolant
is ex­

ceeded as
a
result of overheating.
Overheating can occur
if:

•
the
flow
of air to the
radiator
is

obstructed
by
leaves, dust, insects
or by

additional
lights installed
in
front
of the
radiator grille;

•
the boiling point of the coolant has been
reduced
due to an
incorrect mixture
of

coolant and water;

•
the
radiator fan
is not
working
- see

"Radiator
fan",
or;

•
the vehicle is being driven up
a
long
hill
j

in
a
low gear with engine speed
very
high
and
at
very
high ambient temperature
-

see
"Radiator fan".

If
the cause for the overheating cannot
be

determined
and
corrected, contact
your

Volkswagen dealer immediately, other-
I
wise serious engine damage could result.

104
Always
heed
WARNING on page
97.


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VEHICLE CARE

Refill
tank

Checking
the coolant level

The coolant level should
be
checked from time
to
time, and always before going on
a
longer
trip.

WARNING

To
reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you see or hear
steam or coolant
escaping
from the en­
gine compartment.
Wait
until
no steam

or
coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the
hood.
Expansion
tank
The refill tank and
the
expansion tank are in
the
engine compartment.
The coolant level
is
normally checked only in
the
refill tank (behind
the
license plate
lid).
The expansion tank needs checking only
if
a
large amount
of
coolant
is
lost
or if the

warning
light
in the
water temperature gauge lights up.
On
the
refill
and the
expansion tank,
the

cap
need
not
be taken
off,
since the tanks
are transparent.

On
the refill tank, the coolant level must
be

between
the
min.
and
max. marks when
engine
is
cold
and not
running. When
engine
is
warm, coolant level
may be

slightly above max. mark.
The expansion tank
is
equipped
with
an
electric coolant level checking device.
When the coolant level is too low, the warn­ ing
light
in the
coolant temperature gauge

(see
page
43)
will flash
until
the
coolant
level has been restored
to
normal.

Always heed WARNINGS on page 97.
105


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VEHICLE CARE
Adding
coolant

Turn
off the
engine
and allow it to cool
down.

WARNING
Reduce the
risk
of scalding
from
hot

coolant
by
following
these
steps.
• If the cap
from
the expansion
tank

must
be
removed
wait
until
the
engine

has cooled down. The cooling system
is
under
pressure.
•
Protect
face, hands and
arms
by
covering the cap
with
a
large,
thick
rag
to
protect
against
escaping
fluid
and steam.
•
Carefully
and
slowly
turn
cap one

turn
to
allow
excess pressure to es­ cape
before
completely
removing
cap.

Top
up coolant in refill tank. Only when
cooling
system was drained or a lot of
cool­
ant needs to be added, also
fill
expansion
tank.

To
maintain the anti-corrosion properties of the coolant, the antifreeze concentra­
tion should not be reduced, even during
the warm
season.
Increasing
the
antifreeze
in the
coolant

to
more
than
60% is not
only
unecono­ mical, it is also
detrimental
to
engine

cooling.

Only
use quality phosphate-free anti­

freeze
containing ethylene glycol. Such antifreeze is available at your Volkswagen

dealer.

Antifreeze,
other
than
specified by Volks­
wagen,
may cause corrosion of the cool­ ing system,
leading
to
engine
over­

heating
and
damage.

Only
for topping-up coolant, a small amount of antifreeze containing ethylene

glycol
and phosphates may be
used,
if rec­
ommended antifreeze is not available.
• After adding coolant, run the engine at
idle speed for a few seconds.
• Wait for the radiator fan to switch on

and
off again.
• Check coolant level. Add more coolant
if necessary.

Do
not overfill the system.
Excess
coolant will be forced out through
the pressure relief valve in the reservoir
when the engine becomes hot.
Screw cap on
again
tightly.
Radiator
fan

The
electric radiator fan (located in
fror:
r the car behind grille) is controlled by !':
moswitches
from the coolant and enc
TE

compartment temperature.

After
turning
off the
engine,
the
radiate

fan can
continue
to run (up to 10 r>
nutes).
It may also suddenly
start
to rx

again
even
with
the
ignition
switched
c*

Notes
• If the radiator fan does not come c
when the coolant temperature is very high

check
the fuse and replace it if necessar, - see page 129.
• The speed of the radiator fan does nc

depend
on the engine
speed,
therefore
cooling
effect cannot be increased b.
downshifting. As long as the engine runs smoothly and driving an uphill road does
not considerably reduce
speed,
there is n:
need
to downshift.

Always
heed
WARNINGS
on
page
97.


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V-BELT
winter operation
I the beginning of the winter season, have the coolant checked for anti-freeze
ecncentration. If you have to add, only use
Hality
phosphate-free anti-freeze con-
ra. ning ethylene glycol which is available
5".
your Volkswagen dealer.
Tie ratio between water and anti-freeze
r-pends
on the anticipated outside temp-
r'atures. Tension checking
Correct V-belt tension is important for over­
all vehicle performance.
Tensioning and replacing of vehicle V- belts should be performed by your
Volkswagen dealer or a qualified work­ shop.
See page 147 for V-belt designation.
WARNING
To prevent personal injury stay well clear of the V-belt when the engine is
running.
Before checking V-belt
ten­

sion turn the engine off and let it cool

down.
Hot components can burn skin
on contact.
Always heed WARNINGS on page 97. 107


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VEHICLE CARE
WINDSHIELD / REAR WINDOW WASHER CONTAINER*
The filler cap is iocated at the left side of the driver's footwell.
Vehicles with rear window wiper and washer have an additional container on
the right in the luggage compartment.
The capacities of the containers are: Windshield washer
container 4.3 qt/4.2 liters Rear window washer
container 1.1 qt/1.0 liters
Filling the containers
To fill the container, unsnap cover and un­ screw the filler cap. After filling the
con­

tainer, screw the cap on tightly and close
cover. Since clear water is usually not adequate
for cleaning the glass, add a cleaning
solu­

tion to the water.
Use winterized washer solvent during the
cold season. It helps to keep your
windshield and rear window clean and pre­
vents the fluid from freezing in the winter.
Do not use engine coolant antifreeze or
any other solution that can damage the
vehicle paint.
Follow the directions on the can for the
correct amount to be used.
After filling the container press the cap onto the filler neck. Adjusting washer jets
When vehicle is stationary, the wate- should hit the windshield as illustrated.
The washer jet for the rear window shoulc be adjusted so that the fluid hits the glass
in the center of the wiped area.
The jets can be adjusted with a needle.
The jets for the headlight washer system' can only be adjusted with a special
tool.
If necessary contact your Volkswagen
deal­

er.
112 * where applicable


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