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Date:         Sun, 9 Apr 2000 21:18:41 -0600
Reply-To:     John Silverman <jsilver@AROS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Silverman <jsilver@AROS.NET>
Subject:      Major oil leak after head gaskets replaced.  (90 syncro westy)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Friday, we packed up the van and headed south for the weekend. My wife had to give a talk about 5 hrs. south of here on Saturday morning, and wanted to be at the conference by about 6 Friday evening. We'd just had the head gaskets done (@86,000 miles) by a local, highly respected VW shop, non dealer.

Vic (the van) was running great- 75 or so at about 4000-4200 RPMs, temp gauge right at normal (right at the red dot). The cruise control had gone out, but that was merely a minor inconvenience. We were making great time down to St. George (southern Utah). We stopped for a potty break about 2 hrs down the road, (in the middle of nowhere) and, out of habit, I went to check under the engine....Lo and behold... a MAJOR leak of thin brown fluid, with a slight cast of green on the already formed puddle. This was coming out of the right head, just under the clip-on cover. Checked the oil dipstick- on the low side of normal.

After much thought, we nursed the van back in this direction about 45 minutes, checking the oil several times . At one point, I added a quart of oil, only to see at least a cup of it gush out onto the ground, Also from the right head. All the while, the temp gauge stayed right where it had been, and no oil pressure lights or buzzers or warnings of any kind came on.

Well, we rented a car, the wife made a great presentation, and the van was hauled (on a flatbed, of course) back to the shop. I'll talk with them Monday AM, and see what they find. Any thoughts???

John 90 syncro westy (vic) SLC, UT


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