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Date:         Sun, 13 May 2001 17:43:56 EDT
Reply-To:     Oxroad@aol.com
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@aol.com>
Subject:      Found easy coolant leak fix? no one is this lucky
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

So this morning after not using my bus for a day there is a small puddle of coolant underneath. But it's not under the engine--more under the transmission.

Doesn't look like the heads. Mabye a hose to the rear heater. I know the hose that connects to the crossover pipe is weeping ever so slightly and has to be replaced. So maybe it's that hose connection. No.

So what about up by the sheetmetal where the hoses go through to the rear heater or those Ts in the line of the hose that goes to the front and allow coolant to the rear heater. I replaced those Ts recently and there is no weeping or leaking. Nothing leaking from hoses. The hoses aren't even wet.

Now what? The hose is split inside the cabin where it meets the heater core? Or worse, the heater core is leaking. $$$ If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all...

So lets look under the rear seat (it's a Westy). I pull out all the camping gear the military shovel, the ax, the jack, the jumbers, the RV water hose, the electrical hook up, and the break down stuff, the cans (bottles) of oil, the safety goggles, the gallon of Autobahn coolant and water mix, spare (used) spark plugs, spare (used) wires, a tub of wheel grease and so on. And there it is, nice blue coolant pooled up under the seat. So the search begins.

The hoses look fine. The valve turn on-off for the heater has evidence of weeping ever so slightly. The hook hose hookups look fine. This is gonna be a tough leak to find.

Unless? No? Could I be that lucky? Let's check that gallon of coolant. The cap is tight. No signs of leaking. Couldn't be that lucky. But the bottle is a little squoze together. Is the liquid somehow expanding and then contracting--leaking when it expands--and now it's contracted? That doesn't make so much sense--and again no evidence of the cap leaking.

And the container isn't cracked or it would be still leaking. Inspect it again. All clear except a residual drop on the bottom must be left from when I wiped off the jug. But... could it be? Yes. A slight split in the bottom of the jug from where it sat on a retaining bolt that holds the seat in place. Just the slightest little hole--now more than likely leaking very slow--slower than the initial flow-- since the jug isn't letting air in anywhere else. The first cup probably came out easily and now it's slowed down, but definatley still leaking.

Think I could be this lucky? Time will tell...

In the meantime I was lucky enough to see a fuel line leak while I was under there.

Maybe my luck is really changing.

Naaah.

Jeff 83.5 Westy LA, CA


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