RMW "Tank" Installed!

There is so much that can go wrong with the plastic coolant bottles.  For instance, my original VW coolant bottle had a crack in it, caps don't seal or maintain pressure, and the seams often split as well.  After my Subaru conversion in which I bought a brand new bottle and cap, the cap leaked several times. So, about the 4th time, I tightened it real good, which stripped the cheesy plastic threads and then NO cap would hold!   To add insult to injury, I also had a brand new sensor installed, which leaked as well.  Again, probably a stripped threads issue.  Before my important Fourth of July camping trip, I decided to call RMW and upgrade to "the Tank".  It arrived in 2 days and installed in 2 hours.  OMG am I glad I did it.  The Tank is da BOMB!!!!

RMW Tank installed (without sensor hooked up)

Overhead view: The RMW Tank is narrower than the VW coolant bottle

This product is solid A+ construction as expected from RMW.  There is no way it is leaking - end of story!

1. The package includes instructions, wiring connectors for sensor, bracket, tank, cap, and all the bolts necessary to install bracket to the van and the bottle to the bracket
2. RMW changed their sensor and the new sensor is super easy to wire-up
3. The bracket is solid and the holes match perfectly with the RMW bracket for the regular VW coolant bottle, so no re-drilling is required when you upgrade.  Well, to be honest, I had to open up the the holes in the engine bay a weeee bit for the Tank's bracket bolts to fit.  But, I didn't have to re-measure and completely re-drill new holes.
4. The bottom nipple is a standard size, so no weird reducing heater hose or adapter is needed.  Awesome!
5. The Tank is narrower than the VW coolant bottle, so fits easier in the engine bay and looks fantastic.

Total install time (removing old & adding the Tank): 2 hrs for a beginner mechanic on a mission, less time I'm sure, for a pro.

Coolant Bottle and Sensor Install

EDIT: June 27, 2014 - Install the RMW Tank.  Much of the advice below still applies to installing the RMW Tank, so read on, but honestly, I'll never install a regular VW plastic coolant bottle again.

My review of the product/install is here:  RMW "Tank" Installed!

Today, I installed the coolant bottle for my RMW Subaru conversion.  It's a standard Vanagon coolant bottle.  RMW recently changed manufacturers for their kit's bottle because the old ones had quality control issues (e.g. leaked).  Despite thinking this was a slam dunk, it turned out to be more than I bargained for and I had to do a number of modifications to install it.

First, I learned that you should drill your holes BEFORE you install the engine.  I followed the 2011 RMW manual to a "T" and this was not mentioned.  With the engine installed, a normal drill will not fit to drill the holes for the bracket.  Luckily, Paul had a mini-drill and it worked wonderfully to drill the holes despite the engine being in the way.  Also, a "right-angle" drill or adapter for a normal drill would also work.  The DeWalt adapters at The Home Depot are only $18.

Needed a small drill because engine was in the way!

Second, when I eye-balled the bracket and bottle placement, it looked a little too close to the engine lid.  I drilled the bracket holes a finger's pad lower than specified in the RMW manual (e.g., directly under the tab).  Even after installing the bottle 1/2" lower than RMW specified, it still hit the deck lid when I put it on.  Notice the black foam crusting off the deck lid after I put it on.  Always measure before you drill!

RMW says install directly under tab, but I had to go 1/2" lower.

Third, while the new coolant bottle from RMW are better than the old ones (caps don't leak and bottle is more solid), the cap screws on to 9 o'clock instead of 3 o'clock.  This leads to a weird hose routing from the overflow tank to the bottle  It has to do a wrap-around to get back over to the nozzle on the cap.  Oh well.  

Cap tightens to 9 o'clock, leading to weird coolant hose routing

Last, I have an '86 Westy, which has an old style coolant level sensor and connector.  VW released an upgraded sensor/connector for late models.  The late model coolant level connector uses a metal spring loaded wire that keeps it snug on the sensor.  The old style connetor can easily pull off the sensor rendering it useless.  Funny thing is... the new, better style sensor is cheaper than the old style sensor!  To get the proper connector for it, all I had to do is go to the salvage yard and pull one from a mid-90s Jetta ($2).  I will solder this one on to my coolant level sensor wires in the Subaru/Vanagon wiring harness.  BTW:  I purchased the new, cheaper coolant level sensor from Van-Cafe.  I'm all set with upgraded parts!  So, happy...

Connector I pulled from a  mid-90s VW Jetta

Fits great on the newer, late model Vanagon coolant sensors

Upgraded radiator hoses & stainless steel coolant pipes

This weekend, I installed my new Rocky Mountain Westy stainless steel coolant pipes.  I also plugged in a nice, new set of silicon radiator hoses from Van-Cafe.  The new radiator hoses are able to handle larger spare tires, which I will have in the near future (my main tires are 16" and stock is only 14").  The radiator itself was basically new, so instead of swapping it out, I'm selling my new Behr radiator to another Subaru/Vanagon conversion effort here in Boulder that needs it more than me.

Van-Cafe Silicon Radiator Hoses

The RMW coolant pipes actually go in separately, but I put them together beforehand to show them off compared to the old plastic pipes from VW.  Which would you trust your nice Subaru engine with!??

Coolant Pipes:  RMW Stainless Steel vs. 28 year old VW Plastic

Rocky Mtn Westy coolant pipes installed!

The next step is to get the hand re-furbished Vanagon fuel tank installed back under the van where these coolant pipes are.