Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 18:31:08 -0700
Reply-To: lamusicamellama@JUNO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Leslie Shiaman <lamusicamellama@JUNO.COM>
Subject: New to Vanagon Mysteries
Content-Type: text/plain
Greetings All -
Some of you may have experienced something like my current situation.
I bought the van (too haphazardly, admittedly) two months ago, a 1984
Westy, and one of the first problems I encountered (immediately) was a
slow coolant drip --- 1 gallon every 1200 miles. It was (is?) coming
from the rear cylinder bolt on right head or thereabouts. Took it to my
mechanic who sealed the bolt -- which he didn't find evidence of any
previous seal. Later told me he couldn't find leakage after the seal.
After he performed this I took the van on a trip -- 350 miles altogether.
I was noticing a drip still, from the same area, but much much less than
before, and sometimes after driving no coolant at all would drip. Then I
ran into a pilot bearing issue and drove home in 2nd and the van has been
sitting for the last month without being driven, but I start it once or
twice a week and search for that coolant drip. I put white paper,
cardboard, you name it under the head and cannot find evidence of any
leakage. I typically idle the engine with occasional revs for about 15
minutes. Do you think I see no evidence of coolant leakage because
there is no load on the engine? The temp gague goes up to normal
operating temp. I'm puzzled and have not had a Vanagon before, so don't
know what to make of this situation. When I can save up for the clutch
job and do that will I be faced with the necessity of new heads? That's
not far from buying a new engine ---- an impossibility for a budding
cellist. I guess my question is this: Should I wait and see and in the
meantime get the clutch job done; or if the worst case is my case just
let it sit indefinitely, or are there other thoughts on this?
If I have a cracked head and the problem shows itself as a tiny drip
(only when engine pushes van -- not at idle) could I live with this?
Would the crack get exponentially worse?
Thanks for any advice,
Les
'84 Westy
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