Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 08:19:30 -0400
Reply-To: Marla Stelk <mjstelk@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Marla Stelk <mjstelk@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: 80 d Thermostat rocks
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
I found the gunk in the right tank, the refill tank. Since I cleaned it out
I haven't noticed anymore in there. So I did my trip up to Maine. Managed
to find the Busses by the Buoy group and when I opened my engine capartment,
discovered oil blowing back into it - not sure if its tranny fluid or what.
Dennis, a VW mechanic from Long Island thought it might be tranny fluid
becuase I was way down, but I also have a slow leak and hadn't filled it in
a while (my bad) so could be or not. Filled it up and it hasn't gone down
much since. But noticed a leak coming from a hose or pipe in the area
behind the air filter - just beyond where the engine cover ends toward the
front of the van. Now its having trouble going from 2nd gear into 3rd (auto
trans.). So I dropped it off at the AAA garage in Portland and the mechanic
is cleaning it out this morning so he can put some dye into it and find out
where the leak is. Possible brake fluid? Any thoughts? Since filled, the
coolant level is still slowly going down in the expansion tank, but not the
refill tank. The tranny level since filled has stayed full. The engine oil
level has stayed full too, although I have seen some oil dripping from the
oil pressure relief valve. Maybe it is the oil cooler....I just had a
mechanic do a coolant pressure test, didn't find any leaks. Also had him do
a vacuum test - found one leak by the fuel PSI and replaced a collapsed
hose. Seems like everything is going on this van. PO didn't take too good
of care of him unfortunately.
Thanks in advance,
Marla
'87 Westy Van "Morrison"
>From: "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
>Reply-To: "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
>To: "Marla Stelk" <mjstelk@HOTMAIL.COM>
>Subject: Re: Re: 80 d Thermostat rocks
>Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 20:50:24 -0500
>
>Okay - wow - so when I got the van I noticed that the
>coolant refill tank had black gunk in it. Showed it to
>the mechanic and they told me not to worry about it.
>And now the last mechanic (a good guy but not a VW
>specialist) said it had a "funny smell" but didn't
>think he was qualified to diagnose it. So now I'm
>thinking from what everyone has said that it IS a head
>gasket problem. ARG.
>
>not necessarily .... black gunk in the coolant tank
>might be oil. but WHICH tank? the leftmost or the
>rightmost? if in the rightmost (behind the license
>plate; and NOT in the leftmost), it could just be crud
>that accumulated somehow. but if you see a blackish
>ring of stuff (like a bathtub ring) in the LEFT tank,
>now you've got problems. :(
>
>and the problem MIGHT be a leaking oil cooler. this is
>the silver box on top of the oil filter .. it has
>coolant coming into the box and, since the oil is
>hotter than the coolant, taking some of the heat of the
>oil out with it. trouble is, those boxes can start
>leaking internally ... and when that happens, you'll
>get two things: oil in the coolant, and coolant in the
>oil. both are very bad. :(
>
>during one of those episodes. I've got to drive to
>Maine tomorrow - am I going to do serious damage
>driving it on the highway with a slow leak? Or should
>I just stop a lot and check the coolant level? The
>hose from the refill tank to the expansion tank is
>brand new so that can't be it. I'll swing by the
>mechanic or by NAPA today to get the tool to do the
>pressure test.
>
>if it's the right tank and NOT any sign of crud in the
>left tank, i'd just go and stop every hour or so and
>check the fluids, including the engine oil. take some
>spare fluids with you, especially the coolant and a
>gallon or so of water in some sort of container. take
>some engine oil with you as well. how far are you gonna
>drive? if more than 100 miles one-way, and you are
>really worried about the bus, i'd suggest trying to
>take some other vehicle if you could. :(
>
>good luck!
>joel
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