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Date:         Wed, 5 Sep 2001 14:38:16 +1000
Reply-To:     Stephen Overmyer <s.overmyer@UWS.EDU.AU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Overmyer <s.overmyer@UWS.EDU.AU>
Subject:      Re: Coolant Leak
In-Reply-To:  <200109050359.f853x7212213@cooper.uws.edu.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 00:01 5/09/01 -0400, you wrote: > >Subject: How to find coolant leak > > >> I must have a coolant leak because my coolant reservoir keeps in filling >> with air. The only problem is I can not find the leak. >> >> Are there any dyes I can add to "stain" the leak or any other ways of >> finding a coolant leak? >> >> Paul Borghese

Paul,

If continual inspection doesn't eventually expose the origin of the leak (if it is indeed an external leak) it is possible that it is an internal leak.Coolant could be weeping directly into the combustion chamber and whilst this is a longer shot it is indeed possible.

I had this happen with an AMC head (after only 60k kms)and it seems to have been due to the holes for the head studs being drilled too deep resulting in too little metal between head stud & combustion chamber. Metal cracked & coolent slowly snuck thru.Took me the best part of a year to get to the bottom of that one.Finally the van hydralocked and it finally twigged what was going on.Prior to that I would slowly lose small amounts of coolant causing the light to blink every few months.

Anyway,unless you have AMC heads,I'm not saying this is your problem but there are other possible causes for an internal leak. Check for evidence of white "smoke",well vapor actually in your exhaust.Might need someone else to drive your van (an unpalatable proposition I grant you) and give it a bit of a work-out while you follow in another vehicle (preferably VW)and observe...

BTW,in the case I experienced above,AMC refused to accept any responsibility for their poor workmanship even though the head was quite new.If there was any viable alternative manufacturer to AMC for WBX heads I'd be bagging the sh*t out of them and saying boycot the bastards. As it happens there isn't so we're stuck with them but I do know my case was not the only one here in Australia.Maybe we just got stuck with a bad batch...? <rant mode off>

Cheers, Steve O Blue Mountains NSW Aust. '92 Transporter WBX Kombi '76 Transporter Double Cab '68 Beetle '00 Transporter 5Cyl Double Cab (work truck)


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