Date:         Wed, 28 Jul 2004 01:28:21 EDT
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Friends on the road - coolant leak - need some advice
Comments: To: Phil.Walker@BROOKS.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 7/27/2004 9:13:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
Phil.Walker@BROOKS.COM writes:


> Could it be something besides the o-ring? Possibly a crack in the tank
>

It could be a crack in the tank. It could be the O-ring. Either way, if it
was me I wouldn't drive it till it's fixed. I'd also be hesitant to run the
engine with a coolant/water mix that becomes to watery from adding only water to
accomadate the leak.  Also allowing the coolant level to fall low in the
expansion tank lends itself to allowing air in the system resulting in overheating.

Finally a slow coolant leak often can rapidly become a fast coolant leak. A
fast coolant leak can often become a toasted engine.

Now let's say it just overheats and is pulled over qucikly before the engine
is toasted. Am I mistaken, or on these engines can't overheating promote the
dreaded head ga$ket leak?

If it were my bus I'd stop, drop, and roll--meaning, fix that coolant leak
before you put any more miles on it. I don't think you ever want to risk
overheating any engine, especially this waterboxer.

That's my 2 cents

Best
Jeff
83.5 Westfalia
LA,CA