Date:         Mon, 20 Mar 2000 11:10:06 PST
Reply-To:     Tony Peet <tpvw@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tony Peet <tpvw@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      COOLANT LEAK MYSTERY: NEED HELP NOW PLEASE
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Hi Folks.  I need your help TODAY with a cooling system problem that is
somewhat baffling and very frustrating. I appreciate whatever time you could
give this right NOW.  Thanks!

I have been working on a recurring heads/cooling system problem with
mechanics who I trust (J&R Vans, Reno), but the latest round is mystifying
and I am asking for the list's help/experience in diagnosing this problem. I
am not a mechanic myself, so please bear with my freeform technical
descriptions.

When I bought the van, J&R has installed new heads and had done a lot of
other repairs to make the van road ready.  It ran great for a few months,
and then the coolant light started coming on regularly (the main coolant
tank would drop below min level and any excess coolant which had overflowed
into the expansion tank would NEVER get sucked back up again.  After
exhausting other possibilities, J&R went ahead and inspected the heads again
and, lo and behold, one of the new replacement heads was defective
(something about leaving grinding marks on the head when the head was
machined....)  So the manufacturer(AMC) and J&R replaced the heads and
everything worked GREAT...........

.......For about 3 months and then...the DREADED coolant light came on
again.  I immediately checked the expansion tank, which was now full to the
brim (having started at 'min') with evidence that it had even had to blow
off additional overflow from the main tank (coolant stains all over.)
So........I bought a new $16.00 blue plastic cap w/nipple for the main tank
on the off chance that THAT was the problem, drained the excess fluid out of
the expansion tank, refilled the main tank......and headed off to Reno for
another attempt to fix this.  After 200 or so miles of highway driving at
70mph the coolant light came on...and I immediately stopped to see that the
expansion tank had again overflowed.  I drove the last 150 miles or so just
resetting the coolant sensor by turning off the ignition every time it came
on.....about every 2 - 30 minutes depending on God knows what number of
factors.  For the record, the was parked overnight in 40 degree weather and
the expansion tank was still full this morning.  When we took the cap off
the main coolant tank, there was a lot of pressure released in a woosh and a
heavy smell of engine oil......

WHAT I NEED FROM THE LIST ARE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE
-- EXCLUDING THE HEADS SPECIFICALLY.(Unless you know of a recurring problem
with AMC heads specifically.)

DOES ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND/OR KNOW OF SOME OBSCURE
BUT COMMON VANAGON QUIRK THAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS?  ANY UNUSUAL/USUAL (!)
FIXES ON VANS WITH THESE SYMPTOMS?

FOR EXAMPLE, my mechanic's current thinking is that the O ring at the BOTTOM
of the cylinder might be the culprit.


I very much appreciate your time in considering this and in replying as soon
as possible( the van's in the shop!).

Tony Peet
'91 Syncro Westy
Pacific Grove, CA


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