Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 10:30:27 -0500
Reply-To: Kate McLaughlin <KateMacMac@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kate McLaughlin <KateMacMac@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Coolant Leak # 602
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Wow I haven't had to write in for a while now. I missed you all! Well
I am having a moral dilemma. I have this great vanagon named Stella and
I am very attached to her, so much so that I have had the head gasket
replaced 3 years ago, a new transmission 2 years ago, new brakes $500
ago, new hoses and a cat converter $787.54 (not to mention 3 weeks ago),
and two days ago I saw the dripping of the anti-freeze again. I drooped
it off to Euclid foreign Motors in Euclid, OH and the owner said it was
probably the head gasket again. He also told me that I could drive it
as long as it was cool out, but no extended trips and not driving when
it is hot out. My options are as he put it:
1) Sell Stella
2) Put in a new engine (A VW Re-built)
3) New head gasket
Now here are the symptoms that I got out of him:
Stella is not leaking bad, but the coolant is not getting back from the
engine, hence the overflow tank empties after driving, he did a
compression check, and he could not identify a leak, but it's dripping
slowly, so it has to be in the compressor. I asked him if the water
pump is OK and he said yes, (it should be, that was about $250 ago and
if it was after the transmission). Well I have read up on the head
gasket info on the Vanagon site, now I'm doing it again.
Now I am in luck in one manner, I do know a guy who worked for the
mechanic that is currently looking at Stella, and he has offered me some
very cheap labor, cases of beer!! What a deal, but I am a full time
student and I work in a bar, so I will have a money cap. My other
probelm is I am moving or Ashland, OR after I finish up classes this May
(no I was not planning on driving out there)
So my dilemma is:
I love Stella, but I am not a millionaire, I would love to keep her. I
have heard talk and rumors about putting in other than VW engines, but I
know little about that and my mechanic has never heard of any such news.
So any one with any information, suggestion, or millionaires looking to
adopt a grand daughter and Stella, please, I beg you for some input.
Thanks again
Kate
|